


Gimme Shelter

by AnaBeckett



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:33:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24699892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaBeckett/pseuds/AnaBeckett
Summary: What happens when two people with complicated and dark backgrounds find themselves in the place where they chose to take refuge?AU SERQUEL
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 37
Kudos: 101





	1. Marked

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, how are you?
> 
> This is my first fanfic in English and I'm not very good at it, I had help from google translator ahaha  
> So ignore any mistakes, please.
> 
> Hope you like it

_ Life is hard, that is a fact. The difference is how you deal with the obstacles it imposes. _

_ Nobody is happy or all the time. _

_ Happiness is a moment, as is everything on your journey on earth. However, there are obstacles that, even after being overcome, leave marks. Scars that will remind you of the moment of unhappiness forever. _

  
  


An island of Palawan was unknown to many, only tourists more committed to finding a local paradise to find in research. It is not a very developed place and does not have a very large population.

It is a great refuge, a shelter for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of overcrowded capitals

Raquel found on these beaches of white sand and blue sea an escape from her life. The woman, who despite being young in her 26 years, had a painful past that literally haunts her.

A born dreamer, she aimed to join the Madrid police. During his time at the academy he met Lieutenant Alberto, an older man who saw great potential in the girl.

Over time they got involved. Murillo graduated and became an officer, always very hardworking, stood out in her position and soon started to apply for a promotion.

What she didn't expect was that her boyfriend, a police officer with a history within the corporation, was corrupt. Not just any corrupt police officer, but the head of a major drug and women trafficking scheme.

That's when the nightmare started. As the good professional who was wanted to denounce him, however, he was discovered and the threats began. Alberto said he had the power to send her to another country to become a prostitute, kill Marivi, his mother, among many other barbarities.

In one night, without knowing what else to do, completely desperate, Raquel waited for her boyfriend to sleep and killed him.

He cut his throat with a pocket knife, took the money his boyfriend was hiding, as a result of his crimes, took his mother who until then knew nothing, and ran away.

After months of missing, the former police officer contacted her best friend, Angel. He told everything, all the threats, everything he witnessed in those hellish months, but the man could do nothing without proof.

Angel was the only person in her old life with whom Raquel kept in touch by brief calls using an old cell phone so she wouldn't be tracked.

Through these calls, she learned that the rest of the group that was part of the big dirty scheme was after her, the woman who killed the boss and took her bread.

All this trauma left a mark. The young woman no longer considered herself capable of loving and trusting another man. Murillo was involved with men for one night and nothing more, started to relate to women too, but never for more than one night.

Raquel was sensual, she drew attention to where she was and she knew it. Her beauty is exotic and mysterious, her piercing and tattoos make her more attractive to her targets. She knows the power she has and uses it.

Its code name was Lisbon, because it is remarkable as the Portuguese capital. Who knows does not forget it.

[...]

Sérgio, an intellectual economics student, who looks from the outside looks like a simple shy and hard-working boy. What no one imagines is that behind all intelligence there is a strategist man who, with the help of his father and older brother, devised a great theft.

The biggest theft that Spain has ever seen.

Coming from a family that was not favored by the capitalist system, the Marquinas spent few and good times. Julio Marquina, a simple merchant, found himself in debt after his wife died of a rare degenerative disease.

With two young children to raise, he saw no other solution than crime. It started with small thefts in markets and pharmacies, it was improving and practicing bigger robberies.

When he found out that his eldest son, Andrés, had the same illness as his mother, he set about planning the biggest assault he could. One that would make him have enough money to pay for treatment and give the three of them a good life.

That's where the big idea came from.

After months of escape, the three chose Palawan as their permanent home. A place little known and worthy of a well deserved rest for the family of thieves.

Andrés was the first to have contact with the beautiful woman. It was one night, in a bar in the city center. He saw her in a devastating dress and a provocative attitude, he realized that she was looking at the place with a lioness looking for prey.

The man, like the good womanizer he was, went on the attack and approached Rachel.

\- Can I be your company tonight?

She smirked, looked him up and down. He stirred his drink with the straw.

\- I think not.

Andrés smiled, already used to the refusal at first.

\- Let me show you that I can make your night worthwhile.

\- Oh ... it will be worth it but not because of you

She winked at him, biting her bottom lip, she smiled and went to the dance floor. The man was unresponsive to what happened and soon afterwards lost sight of her.

However, as the codename already left a mark, Lisbon was hard to forget when he met her.

\- Man I think I met the sexiest woman of my life.

\- Don't you say that at all?

Sergio was almost the opposite of his brother. While Andres loved to go out, enjoy the night and all the opportunities it offers him, the youngest preferred the comfort of his home with a good book.

This reflected in his appearance. Seriously tall and thin, his body is slightly defined because of his boxer and karate workouts. For him a healthy mind requires a healthy body. All of this is involved in a certain shyness, lack of social tact and extraordinary intelligence.

The man dedicated his life to helping his father and brother with the planning of the great robbery they would do and he worked so hard that he forgot to live. The years of poverty made him crave the comfort of not having to think about money again, of not having to worry about having food on the table the next day.

Today Sérgio is not comfortable with the kind of fun Andrés loves, for him a good book and the comfort of his chair is the perfect day.

\- Brother this is different. Really.

He was very serious and anxious.

\- Beautiful, sexy… wow. I only exchanged two sentences with her!

Sergio laughed, shaking his head.

\- If I see you around I'll pass your number.

He joked. Andrés snorted and tousled his hair and went to his room. The youngest never understood how his brother could create passions so overwhelming for women he just met. If it weren't for his father putting judgment on his head he would already have some divorces on the account.

It was on a sunny morning that Sérgio decided to explore the beach that was practically his backyard. The island was very pristine, its wildlife is abundant as well as its forests. Something totally new for someone born and raised in a big city.

He walked aimlessly paying attention to every detail. The sea was calm at that time so its sound was relaxing but it was broken by the galloping noise of horse hooves. He searched the dense forest thinking he was perhaps a wild animal, but he was surprised by a beautiful woman riding.

\- You are lost?

The frown revealed his real concern for the man he had never seen around.

Raquel was used to walking around those sides of the island, she already knew the forest and knew the types of animals she could find. His horse, Dunker, a beautiful black specimen, was his faithful companion on walks. Every morning the two went out to run and relax, only then would their day really start. Sometimes she liked to stop for a swim and that was one of those times.

Mounted on the huge animal with only a pair of jeans and a bikini, that's how Sérgio met her and knew at the time that it could only be the woman his brother met.

\- Hey. Do you understand what I mean?

He asked again after there was no answer. The man looked at her dumbly and without reaction, he started to think that it was some tourist who had an accident.

\- Ah… yes. I understand you.

He came to himself as he tried to hide his embarrassment by fixing his glasses.

\- I'm not lost. I live here for a short time and wanted to explore.

Shrugs.

\- You don't have an accent, are you from Spain?

\- Yes, from San Sebastian.

Sérgio smiles slightly and finally looks at her again. The mysterious woman looks at him suspiciously and comes closer to him, still riding.

\- Why are you here?

Hard question. There is little care, it is not every day that a Spaniard decides to live in a place like that. What are the chances of someone being behind her?

\- As I said, I live here. I moved in a few weeks ago.

He shrugs, pointing in the direction he came from.

\- You don't look like a native. It's European, right?

Raquel analyzes it thinking whether or not she can tell the truth. He seemed harmless enough, but there is little care.

\- Yes, I'm from Madrid.

Sergio smiled and agreed happily to have guessed correctly.

\- My name is Sérgio.

It says to see the woman getting off the horse. She ties it to a tree that is full of grass around it.

\- You can call me Lisbon.

Smile. Sérgio thinks he has never seen a more beautiful and sweet smile, which is in stark contrast to the sensuality he exudes from her. Now standing in front of him he can see that she is not that tall, but her body is thin and defined. The large tattoo on the right side of his hip draws attention, it is possible to see that they are flowers, peonies to be exact. There's another one on his left rib, a feather or leaf, he couldn't see it right. He was ashamed of being caught looking at the body of a stranger.

\- How long have you lived here?

\- Some time…

She is evasive and smirks.

\- I suggest you do not walk alone in the woods at night, there are some cats here.

\- No, no. I'm not that adventurous.

The two laugh at his comment.

\- I live a few meters from here.

He points to his back. She agrees.

\- Do you want company for exploration?

\- I think your knowledge will be very valuable.

Sérgio talks adjusting his glasses while smiling shyly. Raquel was no longer used to this, interacting with a person without having a sexual interest, both on her and his part. She found him nice and kind so she decided to talk.

That was their first contact. Two people with dark and difficult pasts who were welcomed by the paradise that island offered


	2. She's like this

_\- Sérgio ... sim ..._

_\- Venha, venha para mim_

_Ela segurou o pescoço, jogando o corpo de volta em êxtase._

Sérgio acorda com um gemido preso na garganta, ofegando e suando. Esses mesmos sonhos foram recorrentes desde que ele começou a conhecer Lisboa.

Após o primeiro encontro na praia, eles se encontraram com mais frequência, os primeiros foram por acaso e da mesma maneira: Marquina dando um passeio na praia e encontrando a mulher no caminho. No entanto, agora se tornou sua rotina, algumas vezes por semana eles estavam no mesmo local na praia. Eles passaram algumas horas conversando, Raquel mostrando curiosidades locais e ele contando como estava a vida na capital.

Ele já a considerava uma amiga.

Embora a mulher seja escorregadia como sabão. Mesmo depois de todas essas semanas de conversa, ele não sabia nada sobre ela. Nem mesmo o nome verdadeiro, porque ela admitiu que Lisboa era uma espécie de apelido.

The only thing he could tell about Raquel is that she was an injured woman. She was always very smiling during her moments together, telling stories and everything, but every time he saw a sadness in her eyes and she was always alert to everything around her. Almost as if she were being chased.

Sergio was always stepping on eggs near the woman, she was too provocative and he was too clumsy. Lisbon realized that right away and now he did it just to play. He was attracted, and it wasn't just the woman's natural beauty and sensuality.

Upon hearing the cell phone vibrate on the nightstand, the man put on his glasses and picked up the device.

"Meet me at our location in 1 am. Bj."

Was her.

He got up quickly and went to the shower, a good cold bath would calm him down for another meeting with the woman who starred in his erotic dreams.

* * *

Andrés and Júlio, father of the two, was surprised to see the youngest leaving the house so much, especially going to the beach. And the strangest thing, Sérgio always came back smiling. The eldest observed everything but did not pressure his brother, he knew he was very reserved, especially if he has a woman involved.

  
  


It was early evening, the sun was already setting on the horizon and Sérgio had not yet returned from his walk. His father and brother were already waiting for him worriedly on the veranda when they heard the horse gallop, the sound came from the forest at the back of the house.

The huge animal appeared mounted by a woman, which Andrés recognized immediately. He was so mesmerized by her - again - that he didn't realize his brother was with her.

\- Sérgio, where are you?

Julius got up from his chair and went to the son who was getting off the horse with difficulty.

\- I was exploring the island.

He shrugs, giving no importance.

\- This is my friend Lisboa. I met her walking along the beach.

She waves to the older man. Recognizing Andres, he smirks.

\- Do you want to go to a bar in the center? I'll go with my friend later.

  
  


Sérgio is surprised, he didn't think he would have contact with her beyond what they already had. It cheered him up, maybe he had a chance.

\- Of course. Give me the address by message.

\- And this friend of yours is single? I think my little brother here needs company while we enjoy it.

Andres speaks totally confident, the brother rolls his eyes. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut around a beautiful woman? Lisbon laughed and looked at him mockingly.

\- You think you're a lot, rookie.

Shaking her head, she puts the horse to walk.

\- Sérgio, I will send the location to your number shortly.

She winked at him smiling and sparked the animal to run right out of sight of the three men.

\- What kind of line is this? I thought I had better educated you.

  
  


Julius enters the house passing by the eldest son and slapping him on the head. Andres grumbles while Sérgio laughs. It was always fun when the big, hot guy took a foot in the ass.

\- You two be very careful in the center. The police are already looking for us outside Europe.

\- Dad, rest easy. The only ones who were recognized were Hannibal and Silene and the two are the most isolated.

During the theft there were some unforeseen events that ended up causing two of the participants to have their faces revealed. And Andres's would be almost as well, but Julius prevented Sergio from sabotaging his brother.

\- Even so. At the slightest sign of something suspicious come back and we'll get out of here.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The bar was actually a nightclub. Dark, flashing lights, loud music and lots of drink. One of Raquel and Alicia's favorite places.

The two met in a similar place, tried to spend a night together but were so drunk that it didn't work out. Each woke up in a room in the room the next day with her clothes still on her body and a huge headache.

They ended up laughing so hard at the situation that they became friends, they realized that there was no more than that between them. Alicia was the only person Raquel had told her story to.

\- Where are the boys?

\- Sérgio said they are coming soon - Raquel checked her cell phone.

\- Sérgio hm?

Alicia looked at her slyly and then sipped her colorful drink.

\- He is a friend. I already told you about him.

\- Ah yes. In fact, you have been talking a lot about him. - they laughed.

\- You know this is not it ...

\- But it can be…

\- Not with him.

Raquel looked at the door waiting for the guests trying to talk. Alicia looked at her with wide eyes.

Andres came in smiling, looking at the environment first, it was the kind of program he loved, Sergio went totally out of place. He adjusted his glasses nervously and tried not to run into people who were dancing.

\- Why didn't you tell me you knew the woman I told you about?

\- Because you are an idiot and she is my friend.

Lisbon waved to them that they went to meet the two. The group greeted each other and introduced themselves and soon started a lively conversation about the island. Sérgio excused himself to get drinks and was accompanied by his friend.

\- You're not the type to like this, are you?

Lisbon saw how intimidated he seemed to feel at the place.

\- You know I don't. - sighed.

He ordered a beer for him and a whiskey for his brother, while Raquel ordered a drink of vodka with strawberry. They went back to the table and found Andres and Alicia still talking, the two seemed to get along.

\- Did you also come here on horseback, Lisbon?

\- No, Andrés. Dunker doesn't like the city.

She speaks laughing and everyone follows her.

\- Why do you walk in it all the time?

Sérgio always found it curious to always find him riding his horse along the beach.

\- It's cheaper than paying for gas - he shrugged.

\- Her lie.

Alicia who spoke laughing.

\- Since he won that animal as a puppy the two do not come apart.

Raquel laughed in agreement.

\- And she loves to look like a hot Amazon.

Alicia laughed while Raquel threw a ball of paper at her friend.

* * *

\- Let's Dance?

Raquel was already high after three glasses of the drink with vodka.

\- I can not dance.

Sergio laughed and denied. She laughed together and pulled him onto the dance floor which was full, no one paid any attention to anyone.

\- Just follow me.

She put his hands on her hips and started to move. Lisboa knew what he was doing, unlike him who was hard trying to keep up with his pace.

Raquel was amused by his manner. As time went by Sérgio loosened up, the two laughed and moved in a funny way just having fun. He found her smile beautiful especially when he laughed.

He was mesmerized by her - for a long time - and Lisbon seemed to realize that the smiles were dying and the exchange of eyes became intense.

Sérgio couldn't take it and kissed her. He glued their already sweaty bodies and lightly licked her lips, which opened and engulfed in a hungry kiss.

Lisbon wanted it. She didn't understand the feeling she was developing for that man, but it scared her. As soon as they met, she tried to put a distance between them but it was inevitable. She liked his company, found him very attractive and knew that he responded.

The kiss continued more and more daring. Sergio pulled her around the waist, ran his hands down her back to her butt, where she started to squeeze. Raquel pulled her hair, stroked the back of her neck and rubbed their bodies together.

When he broke the kiss to go down her neck, that was when she realized what she was doing. I couldn't, not with him. Somehow Raquel knew that if she had anything other than friendship with Sérgio, she would be screwed, she wouldn't be able to keep what they already had and she didn't want to have a relationship.

She pushed him away, Sergio looked at her without understanding what was happening. Lisbon just shook her head and headed for the bathrooms. Taking a deep breath he returned to the table to find Andres and Alicia still drinking.

\- Congratulations, little brother.

Sergio remained silent and trying to understand. I was afraid of having ruined things with Lisbon.

\- I think I blew it.

The three saw when the woman came out of the bathroom accompanied by a beautiful blonde, who appeared to be a tourist. The two went straight to the exit, Raquel looked at the table and her eyes met Sergio's, who looked sad.

\- That's how Lisbon is, Sérgio. She has no relationships, it's one night and it's over. - Alicia shrugged drinking her drinks through the straw.

\- He really wanted to be in that blonde's shoes. - Andres laughed. - Or in between.

Sergio rolled his eyes. Andres' machismo even bothered men.

\- She likes you. You shouldn't want to ruin the friendship. - Alicia tried to console him.

\- Can be. - sighed. - My time is up. It was a pleasure, Alicia.

He said goodbye to his wife and brother, who said he would stay a little longer and went outside to wait for the car he requested in the application. Lisbon was more complicated than he imagined.

* * *

They were in a wild kiss full of tongue and lust. The girl was already without a blouse and bra, Raquel in lingerie only. Jane, the girl she chose to have her night with, put her hand inside her panties and found it wet.

\- You are very hot.

He spoke in Lisbon's ear as he masturbated. Groaning she reached orgasms and they hadn't even gotten to bed yet.

\- Can I ask you something?

\- Yeah.

Raquel was kissing the woman's breasts and massaging the other, she was kissing them down, sucking on the hardened nipples.

\- I saw you with that guy… - he groaned when Lisbon nibbled on his nipple. - You were eating with your eyes. What happened?

O comentário lembrou Raquel a se lembrar de Sérgio e a lembrar que ela estava aqui para esquecê-lo, esquecer seu desejo por ele.

\- Eu não posso estar com ele. - começou a beijar o centro da mulher por cima da calcinha. - Ele é mais do que eu posso ter agora.

Ele sorriu para Jane quando lambeu sua boceta já molhada.

Para Raquel, essa era apenas mais uma de suas conquistas, como todas as noites de fim de semana que ela saía, mas desta vez tinha um gosto amargo. Ele queria estar com outra pessoa e ele usou Jane para esquecê-lo.


	3. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it
> 
> Criticisms and suggestions are always welcome <3

\- Good morning son. Arriving now?

Andrés stayed on the boat and was arriving at the house at 7 am. The contact with the Spanish met a woman, Tatiana. She is from the capital and is on vacation in Palawan. The two spent much of the night together and she asked him to spend the night in his hotel room.

\- Good Morning.

\- The night was good by the way.

Andrés smiles broadly, stretching. Sit on the kitchen counter watching or dad cooking an omelet.

\- Spend an evening with a most wonderful woman.

\- You are very passionate.

Julius was already used to his son's way. He was always very passionate, had regrets and overwhelming, but soon after the charm he ended up washing himself and leaving for the next one.

\- This time it will be different.

\- Where is your brother? Did he come home?

\- Sérgio came back early yesterday, I don't know if he came straight home.

He shrugged.

\- He was not very nice.

\- Was it that girl?

The two already suspected that the youngest was liking someone because of all those outings and his loose smile. When they were introduced to Lisbon, the suspicion was only confirmed.

\- Yeah ... she kind of dumped him. I don't know very well, he left soon after. - sighed.

Sergio was coming down the stairs and he heard part of the conversation, he knew he was the subject but decided to ignore it. I didn't feel like talking about it at all.

\- Good Morning.

He went into the kitchen, going straight to the toaster and placing two slices of bread there, filled his mug with the coffee that was ready in the coffee maker and sat next to his brother on the counter.

\- Have you arrived now or slept in the same clothes? - Andres looked from head to toe.

\- I spent the night with a goddess.

Andrés spoke dreamily, closing his eyes with a smile on his face. Sergio looked at his father, who shrugged, and rolled his eyes.

\- Going for your walk today?

Julius asked taking a sip of his coffee shortly after. Sérgio sighs, gets up to get his toast and sits down again.

\- Not today.

* * *

Raquel felt guilty about having sex with someone for the first time. Since he arrived in the Philippines he has been a free spirit, he does what he thinks. He never attached himself to anyone so he never felt he was cheating.

I didn't expect to feel this way about someone again, in fact I didn't know what I was feeling for Sergio but it scared her to want to be with someone else after what happened.

Those weeks that followed were chaos. She went to bars and clubs every day, drank more than usual trying to forget that feeling. He spent the day sleeping and when he woke up early in the evening it was just to get ready and go out again.

Many times I didn't even go out with anyone just wanted to drink, other times I spent the night with a man or woman who wanted to, but always ends up feeling even worse.

Mariví, Raquel's mother, was used to her daughter's way. I knew she went out on weekends, had fun as she wanted, but it wasn't like that. He saw that his daughter was destroying herself.

\- Raquel! My God.

He was surprised to see his daughter arriving with an exhausted face and smeared with mascara that dripped from her eyes. It was already Saturday morning and Lisbon had left the day before that night.

\- Good Morning. he muttered. - I'm going to the bedroom to sleep.

\- No way. - pulled the woman, who was staggering, and sat her on the sofa. - My daughter, what is happening to you?

\- What's it? I've always done that.

He shrugged. Raquel threw herself on the sofa, spreading anyway.

\- Not like that, Raquel. It seems like a wild ride. 

He just grunted in response.

\- Look, girl. I never said anything about how you live your life. She walks around like a barefoot Indian, in a bikini on that horse. Spend the weekend nights with Alicia, arrive drunk. I never gave a tweet, but now it's too much.

Dona Marivi gave the sermon while the woman massaged her temples trying to get rid of the huge headache she felt. 

\- Mom, please...

\- No, Raquel!

Raquel was startled by her mother's tone. He felt at the age of 14 asking to go to the party at a friend's house.

\- You didn't go through all that to get here and sink like that.

The weak point. Lisbon, which already felt terrible, got worse. Still slightly drunk she started to cry and sob, she was supported by Marivi, who stroked her hair.

\- I'm sorry mom. I just screw up.

\- Alright girl. Just don't do it anymore, will you?

Raquel nodded, letting herself be comforted by her mother.

* * *

_ "Can you come here? Our location" _

Sérgio's response took time, which only made Raquel's impatience and anxiety increase.

_ "I'm going" _

She wore her traditional bikini, denim shorts and tank top. He saddled Dunker and ran him to the beach. The moment that Rachel feels most free is riding her four-legged friend.

When Sergio arrived, he wasn't there yet, so he took off his clothes, put them in the horse's saddle and ran to the sea. The day was hot, as was normal in Palawan, and the water was cool. Perfect.

\- Hi.

Sérgio greeted him when Lisbon came out of the water and sat down next to him.

\- Hi.

The strange weather was awkward. He looked anywhere, moved the sand with his feet. She looked at the sea and prepared to start saying what she wanted.

\- Sérgio… I want to apologize.

She looked at him for the first time.

\- I was an asshole with you.

\- I want to apologize. I crossed the line and upset you.

The two were silent. The truth was that this was not what they felt, but neither of them had the courage to say it.

\- I wanted. - he whispered. - You didn't force me into anything.

Sergio took a deep breath and looked at her.

\- Alicia told me that you don't date. I understood…

\- I like you, Sérgio. You are my friend, I trust you and I don't want to ruin what we have.

He nodded with his head still bowed. Raquel took his hand startling him, the two looked each other in the eye.

\- I can't have that kind of relationship anymore. Things have happened… - he swallowed dryly - In my past they marked me.

\- Lisbon, everything is fine. You don't need to explain yourself.

\- One day I will tell you everything, but for now just know that you and Alicia are my best friends.

Sergio smiled and fixed his glasses, she smiled in response and stood up. The man looked away, seeing her only in a bikini always disturbs him. Lisbon has a beautiful body and her tattoos only make everything more sensual.

\- Comes. I will show you something. she held out her hand to him.

* * *

\- Are you Doctor Dolittle by any chance?

Raquel took Sérgio home. Until now he had no idea where she lived, much less that the free, independent and tough woman lived with her mother.

\- They are all animals that I found injured by the forest during my walks. As I do not know how to take care of a way for them to return to nature, I let them loose here so they do what they want. - laughed.

Her backyard was open, very close to the forest and the animals are all free there. No cages, cages, straps, much like the way you like to live.

\- They are beautiful.

Sérgio laughs when he sees a cockatoo on Raquel's shoulder, she offers a piece of banana that the animal holds with its paw while eating. Three dogs sniffed and licked his feathers.

\- I found Dunker abandoned on a trail, he was just a little potty. My mother almost goes crazy when I came home with a horse. - laughs at the memory.

\- I have already agreed that I am going to live in a zoo.

Marivi arrives beside them playing.

\- Come and have a coffee, Sérgio. I just made a cake.

Raquel's mother talked excitedly with her daughter's new friend, found him likable, a charming and a little shy boy. She knew that after everything that happened with Alberto, the daughter became very closed. After two years living here she introduced Alicia and now Sérgio.

He loved meeting her. She is lively and tells several stories of Lisbon when she was little and how the woman has been rebellious since she was a child.

\- Raquel take the napkins, I forgot.

Marivi didn't even realized when she used her daughter's name, it was so natural that she left without realizing it. Raquel had talked to her that there was little care when it came to hiding from the type of person who was behind them.

Sérgio opened his eyes wide and looked at Lisbon, which was just like him. She got up quickly to fetch what was asked.

* * *

\- So…

In the end, Lisbon didn't live far from Sérgio, it was a 20-minute walk down the main road. The two were walking over there with Raquel taking Dunker by the bridle.

\- Raquel, right?

He spoke mockingly, bursting out laughing soon after. Raquel slapped him on the arm, which only made him laugh more.

\- Do not tell anyone. Only Alicia knows.

\- What's wrong with knowing your name? There are millions of Raquel in the world.

\- It's just a precaution.

She took a deep breath.

\- Don't tell your brother either. - he muttered.

\- Andrés wants to know nothing, he's in his love bubble.

\- Love bubble?

\- Yes. - He laughed - It's been so long since we spoke, you don't know the news.

\- I want to know the gossip.

\- He met a Filipina that night, they have been dating since then.

Raquel looked at him with open mouth in amazement so that the two laughed.

\- I don't believe anyone will put up with it.

\- Yeah. Let's see how long it will last.

\- On here. The good guy is delivered home. - he joked.

\- Listen, on that subject ...

Sergio started talking, getting nervous. The tic of fixing the glasses getting more frequent.

\- Let's not ruin our friendship, okay? You are also important to me.

Lisbon agreed with a smile. I knew he wanted more, she wanted it too, but she wasn't ready for it even after so long.

* * *

Raquel was startled by the scream that Sergio gave and soon after she heard a loud noise. The two were doing a trail, which she loved, that would end on a secluded beach.

\- What the fuck?

She found Sérgio lying on the ground looking at the trunk of a coconut tree.

\- I almost touched that alien!

He pointed to a huge animal that looked more like a giant insect. It was actually a coconut crab, they were really huge and strange.

Raquel burst out laughing while Sérgio got up grumbling, cleaning his clothes and fixing his glasses. The woman took her knife from her waist and slammed it into the animal, killing it instantly.

\- What are you doing? I wasn't supposed to kill him.

\- They are delicious, we will make a fire when we get to the beach and we can eat.

* * *

The two managed to reach the isolated location without further interruptions. It was a truly beautiful, postcard-style beach. Raquel went to build the fire with some dry branches and the lighter she brought in her kit. He put the dead crab on the fire and waited.

Sérgio took off his shorts and trousers, leaving only his trunks ready to take a dip in the crystal clear sea. It was Lisbon's turn not to drool, the man was thin but had a defined abdomen and arms too. The chest with dark hair that went down until it disappeared under the bathing suit.

She joined him in the cold water where they stayed for a few minutes. When they left, they went to dry themselves around the fire, eating the freshly hunted animal.

\- It's really yummy.

Sérgio spoke eating one of the animal's huge paws.

\- I said it was.

\- There's something I want to tell you.

He was serious, took a deep breath as if he were taking courage.

\- I'm meeting a person.

That caught Raquel completely off guard, she hadn't noticed anything. They continued to meet as usual and he hadn't talked about anyone.

\- Hmm. - forced a smile - Cool. Do I know the lucky one?

\- She lives in the center, her name is Olivia. I met her at the bookstore. - He smiled.

\- It had to be, right? You live there. - he laughed fixing his glasses.

She was trying to make jokes to disguise and how upset she was. Lisbon knew what it had imposed on him, just friendship and nothing more. So it was only right that he was going to look for other people.

The theory was simple, but in practice it hurt more than she imagined.

\- Yeah. - agreed. - She owns the bookstore.

Raquel looked astonished.

\- Sérgio Marquina! I can't believe the bookshop owner is eating just to get free books.

He debauched. Sergio couldn't get any redder.

\- Stop playing, Raquel

\- Lisbon!

\- Stop playing, Lisbon.

Their friendship remained the same, light, without charge, playing with each other, laughing. As the months passed, the affection and confidence only increased, but Raquel's heart broke a little that afternoon.


	4. Concerns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys  
> Again sorry for the poor english...
> 
> Hope you like it

\- Happy Birthday to us!

Olivia smiled as she drank the expensive wine. She and Sérgio were celebrating their sixth month of dating at a restaurant on the edge of one of the most tourist beaches on the island.

\- I can't believe we've been together for six months.

He laughed, adjusting his glasses.

\- Me neither. It seems more time. - he agrees.

The plate of pasta and shrimp continued to dine between brief conversations. Sérgio liked Olivia very much, but the truth is that they didn't have a very strong connection.

Olivia is great, friendly and smart. Much like him, Sergio thought she would be perfect to help him forget Raquel, who was the opposite extreme of him in many things.

\- So… - she wrapped her arms around his neck. - My house or yours?

When Sergio opened his mouth to answer, his cell phone rang. He walked away from her to pick up the phone and saw that it was his brother calling.

\- Hi, Andrés.

\- Hermanito! Tatiana and I are in Hanoi with Lisbon and Alicia, come and meet us.

Hanoi was a quiet bar that had live music on the weekends. They used to go there sometimes, but since Sérgio started dating Olivia seriously he has moved away from everyone.

  
  


The truth is, he was trying hard to forget his feelings for the woman he knew he could never have and seeing her often didn't help. Sometimes he felt guilty, as if he were using his girlfriend, but that soon passed when he remembered the feeling of rejection.

\- Wait a minute. I'm with Liv, I don't know if she wants to go… - she took the phone out of her ear - My brother is calling us to go to Hanoi.

\- We can go over there, but I don't want to delay.

She smirked and kissed his neck making her intention for the night clear.

\- We are going. - he said to his brother before hanging up.

[...]

Raquel and Alicia were at the bar when they met Andrés and his girlfriend. They were doing "the heat", it was when the two wanted to arrive at the nightclub already high to enjoy more of the dance floor.

  
  


Lisbon hadn't seen Sérgio in a few weeks. He was now slow to reply to his messages and always had an excuse for not meeting. She felt that he had changed since the courtship began, but she didn't want to be shaken by it. She lived all this time without him, she could be just fine without again.

\- I called Sergio. He and Olivia are coming.

\- What a miracle he came to find us. Forgot friends.

Alicia speaks mockingly, she knew all of her friend's frustrations, Raquel spent hours complaining about how the man left her aside for a girlfriend.

\- Leave the boy. He is in love.

Andrés talks playfully being scolded by his girlfriend.

\- I'm going to the bathroom.

Raquel was feeling nervous. In addition to not having contact with Sérgio in a long time, I had never met Olivia and now I would be with them both witnessing all the happiness of the couple. Snorted. He turned on the faucet, wetting his hands, rubbing the back of his neck and forehead.

Returning to the table he saw that the two were already there. Sergio was greeting everyone with a hand on the woman's waist. They were a beautiful couple.

  
  


\- Hi.

\- Hi

The atmosphere was strange between them, who looked at each other without grace.

\- You must be the famous Lisbon, right?

Olivia broke the embarrassment that was installed.

\- It's me.

Raquel held out her hand to greet her, the woman accepted and the two smiled.

\- This is Olivia, my girlfriend.

Sergio seemed to come out of inertia. He was visibly uncomfortable, in fact he had hoped Olivia would not accept going to the bar to avoid this situation he was in.

\- We are celebrating six months today, believe me?

\- Wow. - Lisbon laughed awkwardly. - Is that all already?

\- Yeah. Sergio is so wonderful.

She patted her boyfriend's cheek, which turned red, fixing his glasses.

They spent the rest of the night drinking and talking. The strong connection between Lisbon and Sergio was undeniable, the two told of the trails they did together and the times they went to the bar or nightclub, even though he hated that.

The younger Marquina's girlfriend became quieter and more observant. When she talked about Lisbon being famous, she did not refer to Sérgio talking a lot about her, but about what people in the city said. Olivia's older brother, who was a bartender in a nightclub, talked about the seductive woman who went out with a different person every night.

Sérgio had never told him that he was so close to that woman, it bothered her the moment he saw how close they were but he preferred to be quiet.

\- I think it's already time.

Sérgio speaks looking at his watch.

\- It's still early, Mr. Right. We're still going to Black Pink.

Alicia spoke, finishing another glass of beer.

\- Not today ... - tried to refuse.

\- Come on, Sergio. We haven't seen each other for so long.

Raquel insisted smiling. Olivia, who was no longer enjoying the interaction, spoke up.

\- Sorry, guys, but our celebration isn't over yet.

She joked making everyone laugh and Sérgio was embarrassed. Raquel smiled in agreement and turned the rest of the vodka in her glass.

Arriving at his girlfriend's house, Sérgio even tried to do something. He kissed her, they made out on the sofa, he even made her orgasm but he felt bad doing it with Raquel on his head, so he invented that he was feeling bad about the drink and went to bed.

It seemed that the entire wall he had built while being away from that woman had come down to water the moment he saw it again.

* * *

\- Do you want to go to the cinema this afternoon?

Olivia asked as she organized some books on the shelf. Sérgio now spent most of his time at the bookstore helping her, he liked being there. It was a place that felt safe because it was surrounded by something it had always loved.

There he forgot everything that took him there, forgot about the assault and was wanted by Interpol.

This was something that had been bothering him more than usual. He felt dirty compared to his girlfriend, who was an honest woman who owned a business. I felt that she deserved someone better.

The funny thing is that he didn't feel that when he was with Lisbon. It was as if the darkness she had in her past matched his, even without knowing what had happened to the woman.

\- Today will not do. - fixed the glasses. - Lisbon asked me to go to her house.

\-  Lisbon?

She dropped what she was doing to look at him. Sérgio winced at the look he received.

\- She is my friend and I got away a little since we met. - shrugged.

He snorted and turned his back on him.

\- Until a week ago I didn't even know you were that good.

\- I know.

\- I do not like it.

\- What?

He looked at her without understanding.

\- That friendship.

\- Are you jealous? - laughed.

\- It is not a matter of jealousy. Everyone in town talks about her, I don't want rumors to start that I am a corna.

Sergio's smile closed. I didn't like where it was coming from, nor how she was talking about Raquel.

\- I was a friend of hers long before I met you, Liv.

\- When I was single.

\- I will not leave my friends. Do not trust me?

She took a deep breath and lowered her head.

\- I do.

\- I am saying, there is nothing between me and Lisbon besides friendship.

\- It's all right.

\-  I'm going to walk with her a bit like we did before. Nothing more.

Olivia agreed by giving up. She didn't want to fight with her boyfriend for this, but she felt very insecure about Lisbon.

\- Do you want to do something tomorrow?

Sérgio tried to soften the climate that formed.

\- Can be. Later we agreed.

He agreed and went back to what they were doing.

After they met at the bar, Sergio and Raquel started talking more often by message. He hadn't even realized how much he missed it, so he decided he had to follow his relationship with Olivia and get over any feelings he had for his friend. It was no use for Sergio to get away, he needed to face it and he was sure that friendship will prevail.

* * *

Lunch at the Marquinas' house was silent. Andrés said he wanted the three of them together to talk but so far he just looked at his own plate. The atmosphere of something unspoken was palpable.

\- So…

He started to speak and swallowed hard.

\- First I want you to trust me and not judge.

\- Are you going to say you want to get married again?

Sérgio rolled his eyes. Julius grunted seeing his older son getting embarrassed by scratching the back of his neck.

\- More or less, but that's not all.

\- Say it, Andrés. - the father said impatiently.

\- You know that experimental treatment in Switzerland that I applied for?

The two agreed.

\- I received an email saying that I was accepted.

Julius smiled widely. All he wanted most was to help his son so that he would not have the same end as his wife. Now that they had the money, he prayed that Andrés would be accepted for treatment.

\- This is great, my son!

\- Calm down, father. I'm feeling like there's a "but" coming.

\- I told Tatiana about my illness and she wants to accompany me on the trip.

\- This is very nice of her.

Sergio smiled in agreement. He was glad to know that his brother was with someone who cared for his well being.

\- I agreed, so let's move in there together. - Coughed a little nervous. - And I didn't think it was fair to start a life together with lies so I told him about the robbery.

Sérgio and Júlio were left without a reaction. The sound of silverware falling on the plate filled the room. Both pale and wide-eyed.

\- Calm down people! She is on our side.

Andrés began to say that his girlfriend had followed the assault on the news and that he supported the criticism they were making of the system. The woman came from a wealthy family and knew all the hoaxes that the rich did to get richer.

\- Son, I shouldn't have done that. Julius ran his hand through his hair nervously. - If you break up and she wants to end your life?

\- No, Dad. She's not that kind of person, trust me.

* * *

Sergio was nervous walking to Lisbon's house after lunch. He trusts his brother, but does not really know the girl Tatiana. In fact, they exchanged few words and she already knows everything they did.

Obviously he would like to vent about what he did, about his constant fear of his family and friends being caught and sent to jail, or worse.

\- It arrived just in time. My mom just took the pizzas out of the oven.

\- It was all I needed.

He smiled. One thing Sérgio loved was Mariví's food.

\- It's all right?

Raquel knew him better than anyone. As an observant person, I always noticed in the smallest details when something was not right.

\- I'm just a little nervous. Nothing more.

\- Talk to me.

She sat closest to him on the couch.

\- So much in my head. - laughed embarrassed.

\- So start at the beginning.

Sergio thought for a moment. There were a lot of things hanging around in his head, the main thing he couldn't tell. It made him uncomfortable, he hated to keep his friends' secrets. It was like that with the group members and it was like that with Raquel.

\- Well, first I had a little argument with Olivia earlier. he snorted.

Lisbon felt her belly freeze.

\- And what happened? You guys seem to get along really well.

\- Yeah. It was like that until… - He scratched his head and fixed his glasses. - Until she sees the two of us together at the bar.

\- But I did nothing, we just talked. She was at the wheel too.

He shrugged as if to say he doesn't understand.

\- She also didn't like that I came here today. I think I'm jealous of you.

Raquel swallowed. Maybe Olivia noticed your feelings for your boyfriend? She always tried to be so closed, always making jokes and laughing at her own misfortune.

\- What did you tell her?

\- That she has to trust me.

\- Of course. - agreed. - Doesn't she realize that she is dating the biggest silly in love on this island?

He laughed. Sergio rolled his eyes, pushing his arm.

\- What is the second thing that worries you?

\- Andrés. - sighed.

\- What did he do now?

\- I never told you why it is something he doesn't like to be told, but Andres has a rare degenerative disease. He inherited it from our mother.

\- My God.

\- He got a place for treatment in Switzerland. He's moving there with Tatiana.

\- My god squared.

They both laughed.

\- Will be all right.

Lisboa spoke holding his friend's hand. Sergio looked at her for a few seconds and smiled, the certainty that she put in that sentence calmed him down a little. But his biggest concern and his biggest secret, he couldn't tell.

Sergio hoped that one day he could open up to someone. Deep down he knew that this person would be his best friend.

\- Hope so. It is our last hope.

They were silent for a few minutes. Raquel was looking intently at the man in front of her, Sergio was still with his head down looking at nothing.

\- There's more, right?

\- What?

\- There's something else worrying you, I can see that.

He took a deep breath and nodded.

\- Do you want to tell me?

\- I can't, not now at least.

Rachel sighed. His history with men hiding things was not good, but he decided to make room. After all Sérgio was always patient about his secrets.


	5. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it.
> 
> I want to know what you're thinking, comment!   
> Thanks for the support

It was Friday night and Sergio was having the night the way he likes. Movie, snacks, bed and his girlfriend.

The two were lying in their spacious bed watching the second movie of the night while eating popcorn and drinking soda. Olivia was hugging Sergio.

The truth was, this was being one of the few moments that they weren't discussing. Since Andrés moved, the youngest Marquina has been shutting down. Sérgio is afraid of both his brother's treatment and the fact that his sister-in-law knows the family's secret.

He obviously didn't tell Olivia about the robbery, nor does he intend to, and that's making him sick. You have accidentally walked away.

Olivia thinks the reason the boyfriend is different is his friendship with Lisbon, his insecurity about the woman has only increased and made the couple fight because of jealousy.

\- The popcorn is gone. Want more?

Sérgio asks getting up.

\- I want to, but can you make candy this time?

\- Sure. Will you keep me company?

Olivia agrees smiling. The two go down to the kitchen, while picking up the ingredients they hear a noise in the back of the house, which is close to the beach.

Sérgio already recognizes the sound of Dunker's canter, but it is very unusual for Raquel to ride at night and even more so she showed up at his house without warning.

\- There's a horse outside.

Olivia speaks looking out the kitchen window.

\- Just the horse?

Sérgio opens the back door and looks at what's going on. He finds the animal agitated with frightened eyes, he still has his saddle on but Lisbon doesn't seem to be around. Looking closer, he finds a piece of bloody fabric stuck in the saddle.

At the same time Sergio despairs. Dona Mariví does not know how to walk in Dunker, the blood can only be that of Raquel and if she is not there, it is because she is injured somewhere.

\- I have to go to Lisbon's house.

He hurries into the house holding the fabric. By the print he recognizes, it is a dress he has seen Raquel wearing. Why would she wear a dress to ride a horse?

There were so many hypotheses that crossed the man's mind, one worse than the other.

\- What?! Sergio?

\- It's Lisbon's horse, she's hurt. I need to help you.

Sérgio changed his clothes quickly, he didn't even stop to talk to Olivia. I just thought of helping my friend.

\- Sérgio, call the police. There's no use putting yourself at risk like that.

\- And say what? That her horse showed up here?

\- Yes, speak of the tissue with blood.

\- So you call the police while I go to her house.

He went to the garage to get his helmet on the way. I would go on a motorcycle to be faster. Olivia was chasing after him more and more irritated.

\- Are you going to put your life at risk because of it? Or rather, are you going to leave like this and leave me here because of this woman?

\- I'm back fast, I'm going on a motorcycle.

\- Sérgio, you don't even know if anything happened!

\- I know this is not normal so I will check.

\- She may be giving it to a violent guy and it just didn't work, eventually it would happen.

Sergio, who was already disturbed by his concern, looked at the woman angrily.

\- I'm tired of hearing your judgments. Lisbon never did anything to him.

\- Keep hitting on my boyfriend!

He looked at her like she was crazy.

\- She never did that. He always respected me and always respected you.

\- If you go to her house now, I'm leaving and it's over!

\- What?

He was not believing that this situation was happening. First Dunker showing up like that and now Olivia getting totally out of her mind.

\- If you go after that woman, it's over for us.

Olivia is red with anger.

\- I never disrespected you, I always did everything for you. Why all this jealousy?

\- Because I don't trust her!

\- But it is me you must trust.

\- Does not matter. If it is, it's over!

Sérgio just shakes his head negatively, puts on his helmet and starts the bike. Looking at Olivia, who was crying and clenched her hands in fists, he accelerates and leaves.

He was going as fast as he could down the long road. Both sides of the highway were with closed woods, so what was his surprise when he saw a person staggering out into the darkness. Sérgio came to a sudden stop and soon recognized Raquel.

\- Raquel!

\- Sergio?

\- What is happening? Are you hurt?

He looked at her and saw the hem of her dress torn and a large cut on her thigh.

\- I just need to get out of here, I need to get off this island.

She was panting, sweaty and dirty.

\- Tell me what's going on.

\- Now I can't, just get me out of here.

Sergio agreed. He helped her up on the bike and started back to her home. His heart was racing, as was his head. I didn't know what to think, I was just very scared and scared for her friend

  
  


_ 12 hours before ... _

_ \- Sérgio said he won't come, we can eat. _

_ Raquel came from the outside area with her cell phone in her hand and an irritated expression. It was not the first time that this had happened, over the weeks that had passed since they went out again he had canceled several dates. _

_ She knew about Olivia's jealousy, but she couldn't understand. Sérgio is the most correct guy that Lisbon knows, he didn't even look at other women, he was always sending messages to his girlfriend during his outings. _

_ \- Olivia again? - Alicia asked taking a potato chip. _

_ Raquel shrugged, pretending not to care. _

_ \- Let him. Another time we set. _

_ She didn't want to be upset about it, but she was. Every time Sergio left her because of his girlfriend, she was upset. _

_ \- I think it's not jealousy. She just doesn't like you at all. _

_ Alicia laughs and Raquel follows. _

_ \- I've always treated her well. _

_ \- Ah Lisbon ... you know of your fame in the city. _

_ \- That I'm going to have fun and go out with some people? I think everyone does that around here. _

_ \- You know it's different when a woman does these things. - snorts, rolling his eyes. - I just didn't expect this macho attitude from an educated woman like Olivia. _

_ Raquel had never thought about it, always did what she wanted without thinking about what others would say and will continue like this, but does Sérgio also think like his girlfriend? _

* * *

_ \- No. Try something with color, Lisbon. Just walk in black, white ... _

_ Alicia looked at the macaws for some clothes she liked. _

_ \- Oh, I don't know. I have patterned clothes, but I don't like to wear it like this. _

_ \- On here. Try these. _

_ The woman gave him a plain red body and beige shorts. With all the clothes they had chosen they went to the fitting room. _

_ \- I didn't like those shorts. It's almost my color, it looks like I'm naked. _

_ Alicia laughs. _

_ The two friends were spending an afternoon at the mall, something unusual for Raquel, who hated shopping. Alicia dragged her from one store to another, ordering her to try what she got on the tile. _

_ Everything was going well until Raquel's cell phone rang. Not the conventional cell phone, but the one she used only to talk to her friend Angel. They had been talking for a few weeks and everything was normal in Madrid. Nothing but the dirty scheme of his ex that was still going very well, unfortunately. _

_ \- Angel? _

_ \- Raquel! They know where you are! _

_ \- What? Like? _

_ \- I don't think I noticed and on the last call I made you took longer than usual and they were able to track, or maybe my phone is tapped. - he spoke quickly. - I heard Juarez talking to Gomez, they know and have already sent people to get you. _

_ \- If so, they'll come after you too! _

_ \- Don't worry about me, get out of there faster, Raquel! _

_ She already had a plan in case it happened, but she hoped she would never have to put it into practice. She told Alicia what was going on, the woman was quick to pick up Mariví who was going with her to Thailand. Raquel went to the bank to get enough money to escape. _

_ Arriving home it was already dark, she went to her room to pack a backpack with few clothes, money, her gun and her most personal objects. She left food for the animals, which would be taken care of by a friend of her mother's while they were away and when she was going to get her bike she was surprised with her flat tires. _

_ He swallowed and went on high alert. He ran to the back of the house and silently sealed Dunker. She was listening passed around the house, there were two armed men. They hadn't seen her behind the horse yet, so Lisbon carefully picked up her gun and shot one in the leg. The other managed to hide behind a pillar. _

_ Raquel took advantage of the moment and climbed up on her faithful friend, putting him to run in the bush, but there was a shot that grazed her in the thigh. Dunker was startled and reared up causing Raquel to fall out of the saddle. _

_ The animal continued running into the bush, leaving its owner behind. She tried to run but her thigh was on fire. When he heard the noise of cars, he knew he was close to the highway, so he headed in that direction for help or a ride. _

_ Lisbon staggered and almost fell when it managed to get out of the dense forest. Soon he saw a bright light and a motorcycle stopping. It was Sergio. _

Current moment...

He doesn't know how he found her, but he seemed to know that something was wrong before he even saw her in that state. The two went to the Marquina house.

Arriving in the garage, Sergio helped her off the motorcycle and supporting her arm they entered the house. Lisbon hobbled a little and blood dripped down her leg, dirtying the floor where she stepped.

\- I will bring something to clean this wound.

He left her sitting on the bench in the kitchen while he went to the bathroom to get first aid supplies. Looking through the glass door that gave access to the yard, Raquel saw Dunker. He smiled.

\- He came here scared. I saw a piece of your bloodstained dress in his saddle, I knew something was wrong.

\- He came to warn you. - they laughed.

Sergio cleaned the wound and realized it was not a cut.

\- What happened?

\- I need to get out of here, they're after me.

\- Who?

\- People from my past.

He agreed silently. He finished the dressing by applying an anti-inflammatory ointment and covering it with gauze and tape.

\- Isn't it better to call the police?

\- I don't know how far these people's connections go, I prefer not to risk it.

\- Where is your mom?

\- Far away. Your father?

\- He went to help Andres with the new apartment.

\- Olivia?

Sérgio just shook his head. Raquel noticed the sadness in her eyes when she mentioned the woman.

\- You broke up?

\- I think so. It doesn't matter now, we need to get you out of here.

Raquel swallowed and nodded.

\- We go to the airport, we buy the first ticket to any other country.

\- I'm going alone, Sérgio. I won't make you waste your life running away.

\- I'm not gonna leave you. I know how to hide and I have some contacts.

She didn't expect that, but at the moment she doesn't have time to think about why her shy and introverted friend knows he is a fugitive.

Hours later the two were already on the flight that was going to Manila, from there they would take a connection to Paris. From Paris they would go to São Paulo and from São Paulo to Argentina.

Sérgio chose this country saying that he had friends who trusted his own life living there.


	6. Irony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I hope you like it!
> 
> Please, tell me what you think. 
> 
> Bye.

The long journey was tense. The two lost count of how many planes and transports they took to reach Cordoba in Argentina.

Sérgio had never seen Lisbon so introspective, when she was not napping, she was looking at nothing lost in thought. He still tried to make a point, but she asked for space.

At Paris airport, Raquel communicated with Alicia, who reassured her, and spoke to her mother.

\- Daughter! Are you alright? Did someone hurt you?

\- No mother. I'm fine, everything is fine.

He thought it best not to tell what happened at home so as not to worry anymore.

\- I am so concerned to know that you are alone around without knowing where to go.

\- I'm with Sergio, he's helping me.

\- Sergio?

Marivi was surprised and when speaking the name of the man Alicia was also alert.

\- It's a long story, but he found me on the way and came with me.

\- Get him!

Raquel heard her friend scream in the background making her and her mother laugh.

Arriving in Buenos Aires they were met by a tall man with long hair and a thick mustache. Marsella took Sérgio and Raquel to the city that would be their final destination.

The man advised Marquina not to stay in the same house as Agatha and Yashin, but in a nearby hotel. The two friends and assault associates chose South America to make their home.

Following his friend's advice, Sergio took them to a hotel near Agatha's house. The location was very simple and not at all flashy, most of the guests were backpackers who stayed a week at most.

\- Good afternoon. Two bedrooms, please.

\- No.

Lisbon interrupts gaining the receptionist's attention.

\- It could be a room with two beds, please.

She looks at him as if asking permission and Sergio agrees. He has already realized that his friend is very upset by all this. It is as if at the same time that she expected something like this to happen, she was taken by surprise.

The receptionist hands you the key and they go to your room, which had two single beds separated by two bedside tables with a lamp, a minibar and there was also a small TV. It was enough for now.

\- You are hungry?

\- A little. I'm very tired.

\- Take a shower while I buy food, will you?

She nods.

\- Don't delay, okay?

Sérgio had never seen her so vulnerable, her look was sad.

\- Be right back. - He smiled at her.

* * *

Two days passed and Sergio was worried about Raquel.

She hasn't left the room since they arrived. He just showered, slept and ate little. At night any noise made her wake up with a start, so she spent the day napping. He even tried to call her out to eat, but was refused.

Marquina had already communicated with friends and they were already aware that he was close, they just didn't know the reason for being there.

\- Raquel. - touched her arm calling to her. - I brought breakfast.

She just grunted.

\- Come on, Raquel.

\- I don't want to, Sergio. Let me sleep.

Sérgio took a deep breath and started to open the packages eating while sitting on his bed. Minutes later the woman gets up and goes to the bathroom, when she comes back she takes a snack to eat sitting on her bed.

\- I'm going out to meet my friends, do you want to go with me?

She thought as she chewed, took a deep breath and shook her head. The man accepted with his head down, dressed up and left her alone in the room.

* * *

\- Teacher!

Agatha screamed when she saw him, ran and hugged him. Yashin followed behind laughing at the two.

\- We miss you very much.

\- Me too. How are you?

\- Wonderful. The people here are warm-blooded, have a divine barbecue and good music. We couldn't ask for more.

\- Not counting the men ... each monument. Yashin rolled his eyes.

The three went into a cafeteria to talk and lost track of time. It was like going back to college, Sergio missed them.

\- What are you doing around here?

\- Did they suspect something?

The two finally ask to kill curiosity. They had agreed to speak rarely, just to see if they were okay, but to meet in person just in case the police were around.

\- No. It's okay about that, I'm helping a friend.

\- Helping how?

\- Friend?

The man and the woman ask together.

\- I met her in Palawan. She doesn't really tell me, but there is something dangerous in her past and they are after her.

He explains fixing his glasses.

\- Did you get into something that you don't even know what it is?

Nairobi frowns and Helsinki looks at him without understanding. Sérgio just shrugs, feeling intimidated by the eyes of his friends.

\- If someone catches you, you can reach us and the others.

\- It's not just your life at stake, Professor.

\- Calm down. As I understand it is not the police behind it.

\- What do you understand? Oh, please. And is it okay if a mercenary kills you?

He's uncomfortable and doesn't know what to say. Both are right, but he can't leave Lisbon like that.

\- Do you even know who's after her?

He denies it.

\- What's her name?

\- Raquel.

\- And the surname?

Sérgio opens his mouth to answer and stop. Now he realized that he doesn't really know much about Raquel other than his life on the island, not even her surname she revealed.  Nairobi and Helsinki snort in disapproval.

\- Professor, you are an intelligent man. Do not go where you should not, you do not know this woman. It has already helped you to hide here, go back to your life with your father.

Agatha has always been good company, has always given the best advice and understood it. Sérgio was very thoughtful about this achievement.

\- She doesn't trust easily, but she said she'll tell me when she's ready. I don't want to press.

\- Sérgio, I think that moment has passed, they are already after her and you are together. You need to know what that is.

Helsinki said seriously. Sergio took a deep breath and agreed. They were both right.

* * *

Marquina spent the afternoon on the street. He talked a lot with his friends and then went for a walk. He had no direction, just paid attention not to get lost.

He knew he had a strong feeling for Lisbon, a feeling greater than that of friendship. This blinded him to the reality of their relationship.

Raquel was very closed and ends up giving him crumbs that she was happy to know her real name and where she lived. Sergio felt like an idiot for thinking that maybe, at least the feeling of companionship, was reciprocal.

Deciding to know the truth, or even leave, he returned to the hotel when night fell.

\- Finally.

Raquel screamed and ran out of bed hugging him as soon as he entered the room. Sérgio saw the television on and several packages of food scattered around the room.

\- What happened?

He pulled her away from his body by the arms and saw his terrified face. Raquel's eyes were full of tears.

\- You've been gone all day. I tried to send a message and call you but you didn't answer, I thought I had…

She doesn't finish talking because she was breathless. Her eyes widen and she pulls the air harder and harder and her whole body trembles. Sergio quickly sits her on the bed and takes water from the fridge, but she rejects it.

\- Keep calm. Follow my breath.

He exhaled and inhaled slowly. He did this with the woman until his breathing calmed, but he gave way to tears. Lisboa cried from sobbing clinging to his shirt, which stroked his back in comfort.

\- It's all right. I'm here.

After a few long minutes the crying subsided and she released it. Sérgio sat on his own bed facing her and took a deep breath. He wanted to vent everything that was hanging around his head that afternoon.

\- I do not know anything about you.

She looked at him without understanding, drying her tears.

\- I don't even know your last name, I don't know what you do for a living, I don't know about your life before I went to live on the island.

\- Sérgio…

\- I feel like I'm the only one open in this relationship.

\- It’s not like that… where did that come from?

\- I was thinking during the afternoon.

\- I tell you about me.

Sérgio shakes his head negatively while looking at his own hands.

\- I came with you here and I don't even know what we're running from.

Raquel looks at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

\- I am afraid of how you will see me after knowing.

\- The same way I look at you now.

\- It is not that simple. I am a dirty person, I have blood on my hands.

\- Rachel, I know people like that. It doesn't change how I feel about you.

She looks at her hands wondering whether or not to start opening. Alicia knew everything she went through, but she also had a complicated past. Both had marks, one understood the other.

But with Sérgio ... he was such a good man, so kind hearted. Always with a curiosity to tell, something funny to say. I was afraid of corrupting someone like him. She didn't deserve it.

\- My name is Raquel Murillo.

He nodded.

\- I was a police officer before I moved to the Philippines, I was going to be promoted to inspector when I had to flee.

And then the Professor hangs. How fate is ironic. He carried out the biggest robbery in history, fled with billions of euros to fall into the charms of a police officer miles away from Spain.

He swallowed hard, giving her space to speak more.

\- I got involved with a thug without knowing it and here I am.

He raises his arms and smiles sadly. How ironic it was. Raquel has a slight suspicion about something in Sérgio's past, she is not sure but it is something big because of the way he looks when they touch on the secret subject. In addition, since leaving Palawan he has been revealing something that is making Lisbon more and more crazy.

As he says he knows people with “blood on their hands”, he says he knows how to hide and has really done it very well so far.

\- I understand.

Sergio hasn't been so nervous since he left Madrid, his muscles were tense. He fidgetes in bed uneasily and arranges his glasses more often than usual.

\- I don't want to say more than that now, but I want you to know that you're one of the people I trust the most. - she looks into his eyes - I was terrified that something had happened to her, I know they won't find us here, but so much bullshit crossed my mind and I didn't have the courage to leave ...

She was starting to get nervous again and her breathing was starting to wheeze.

\- Hey. Calm.

Sérgio sits next to her holding her hands.

\- I'm here and everything is fine. No one will find you here.

Raquel leans her head on his shoulder taking a deep breath.

\- I know it feels like it's not reciprocal what you feel, but it is. I guarantee you, I am your friend and I would do the same for you.

She speaks holding his hands in hers.

\- I want to tell you everything, but I need you to do the same with me. I know you hide something.

Sérgio sighs. He looks her in the eye and nods. If what she did was so serious, he could tell about the robbery, after all they both had a criminal past.

\- You are hungry?

She nods.

\- I'm going down here to buy some esfihas, do you want to go with me?

\- Not today.

\- You need to leave this room, Raquel.

\- Tomorrow

Sérgio sighs and decides not to insist.

\- Do you bring anything sweet? I want.

\- I'm on it.

Sérgio gets up, kisses his friend's head and leaves.

Arriving on the street he takes out his cell phone looking for his friend Kalil's number. He was an Iranian hacker who helped him with some information in planning the assault. The two also met in college when Kalil exchanged.

\- Sergio? It's all right?

Answered scared. The deal was to have as little contact as possible, just in case of an emergency.

\- I need a favor.

\- Okay.

\- I want you to look for information about Raquel Murillo.


	7. Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late.
> 
> I hope you enjoy

The loud noise of the door closing made her wake up in alarm. Panting, Raquel sat on the bed searching the room thinking that there was someone there besides them. Looking to the side he saw Sérgio lying on his back sleeping peacefully.

He curled up on the bed, hugging his knees. I couldn't sleep now.

Since the flight, Lisbon has not slept well. He always has the same nightmares about the fateful day when he had to commit the greatest crime of all to save his own life and that of his mother.

With the island's time and tranquility, she had stopped thinking about it. He made friends, went back to having fun and soon new memories filled the place of that hideous act. But with everything that happened obviously it would bring all of his traumas to the fore.

Raquel managed to leave for a few days for a short time, she got to know the neighborhood more. The problem is that she felt at all times that she was being followed. I knew there was no way anyone could find them here, but the paranoia continued.

Tired of looking at the bedroom ceiling, she gets up and goes to her friend's bed. The feelings she has for him, which she was able to bury before, are now stronger than ever, as well as the fear of rejection when she tells about her past.

\- God!

Sérgio is startled when he opens his eyes and comes face to face with Rachel. The abrupt movement makes him hit the wall and hits his head.

\- Wow, Sergio. It's just me

He grumbles, rubbing his head where he hit.

\- Why are you here? What time is it?

\- I don't know, it's dawn. I lost sleep.

\- And you thought it was a good idea to kill me in my sleep?

It was supposed to be a joke, but Raquel's smile died and she hid her face in the pillow.

Sérgio learned through research that Khalil did that Raquel had killed her police boyfriend. The news of the time only exalted the good professional he was and said that the woman had mental problems. He didn't want to know any more, he felt bad enough looking about his life without her knowing it.

Obviously he was shocked, but he did not believe that Raquel, the woman he had met during that year, would be able to do something like this in cold blood. Sérgio decided he would not believe the stories in the reports, he would wait for Lisbon to open up to draw his conclusions.

\- You want to talk? Did you have another nightmare?

He tried to relieve the tension that had formed.

\- Some idiot made noise in the hall.

The voice was muffled.

They were silent for a few minutes, she lying on her side looking at him and Sergio lying on his back looking up at the ceiling. Raquel held her head with her hand and her elbow on the bed.

\- What?

\- Let's talk?

\- About what?

\- About things we don't know about each other yet.

She suggested. He swallowed.

\- Are we ready for this?

\- I just want to relax, nothing about confused past.

Sérgio smiled in agreement, he could deal with it for now.

\- What do you want to know?

She smirks and he fixes his glasses, getting a little nervous. Raquel managed to be sensual without any effort. A smile on the side, a raised eyebrow.

\- Are you single?

He snorted.

\- Yes.

\- Why?

\- Because Olivia was choking me.

Raquel looked at him in surprise, always seeing them smiling. They never seemed to fight.

\- The day you were attacked she said it was either you or her. I could no longer endure unreasonable jealousy.

\- I'm sorry. I know you liked her very much.

\- Yes, I would.

Sigh.

\- Excuse. I know you guys were fighting over me.

\- You are to blame for nothing.

\- Alicia said that Olivia did not like me because I am spoken in the city.

Sergio laughed.

\- I think she just got insecure.

Raquel nodded and looked away.

\- Do you think like her? Do you think I'm a slut?

\- Of course not, Raquel! Who am I to think that of anyone?

\- I dont know. Men are sexists.

Shrugged.

\- I grew up reading enough to try to avoid being that way.

She smiles looking at him. Sérgio always surprised her, he is the kindest man she knows. The two lose track of time looking at each other, aim their eyes and then each other's mouths. They only realize when their foreheads are already glued.

With her eyes closed, Raquel is having an internal debate about whether or not to proceed with what she wants. She never forgot the kiss they gave in that club almost a year ago, his soft lips, the way he touched her.

Sérgio takes the initiative and touches her lips. It's just a more time-consuming peck. She walks away and stares at him with surprise at the attitude, but soon comes back and glues their mouths again. He licks his lower lip and nibbles, he gives him passage and their tongues touch.

This kiss is calmer, nothing like the desperation the other had. Now there are unspoken feelings. Lisboa wraps his hand around the back of his neck and strokes his dark hair. Marquina carefully touches the woman's thin waist.

When the air is short, the two pull away and touch their foreheads again, refusing to have more distance between them.

\- Are you going to run away with someone this time?

He asks playfully. He pulls a strand of blond hair from the woman's face, who smiles softly.

\- Not this time.

\- Are you sure? I saw a very handsome guy in the next room and there was a girl who looked like the one in the club at the reception.

\- She slaps his arm, who cringes laughing.

\- I won't run away this time.

\- It's really good.

Sérgio kissed her again between laughs.

* * *

\- Sérgio, my money is running out. I think I'll have to go to a hostel, it's cheaper there.

They were drinking coffee at a pastry shop near the hotel. Now Raquel tried to go out more often, especially with Sérgio because she felt safer.

\- Want to try to rent an Airbnb? The cost benefit is better and we can save on food.

\- Okay. Can be.

\- And don't worry about it so much, okay?

She looked at him confused, but accepted. Raquel knew that he was not poor, but she also did not imagine that he had that much money. It was just another flea behind the ear.

The two were entertained on the cell phone looking at the best options until they found a small one-bedroom apartment not far from the hotel they were in.

* * *

Already installed in the new apartment, the two were sitting on the small sofa while eating popcorn and watching a series. Raquel with her head lying on Sergio's shoulder, he with an arm around her shoulders.

The two of them had been feeling more intimate since that dawn that they kissed, they had not passed of that for now. It had been a few days and they were getting to know each other differently now.

It was a silly thing for some, but for them who had been nurturing this feeling for so long it was a step towards what they most wanted.

\- Wow, something similar happened when I was a police officer.

Raquel said after seeing a scene from the police series while laughing. Sergio adjusted his posture to look at her.

\- I was in the night watch when I saw a car parking where it couldn't, when I approached the car started to rock - he laughed. - When I hit the glass, the couple were all sweaty and red trying to put on their clothes. It was embarrassing, but today it is hilarious.

Sérgio laughs her way.

\- Did you like being a cop?

\- Much. It was my dream, my father was a delegate.

He smiled sadly.

\- I was going to be promoted to hostage negotiation inspector when it all happened.

\- I bet she was a great professional.

She laughed awkwardly.

\- I struggled. I think that's why I'm here now. - shrugged.

Sérgio looked at her without the courage to ask more. Raquel felt that this was the moment, things between them were evolving and found it totally unfair to start with such a big secret.

\- You can ask.

She took a deep breath.

\- Only if you feel ready.

Despite already knowing part of the story, Marquina did not fully trust the news. He, better than anyone, knew that the police force was not the most honest place and, knowing Raquel, he knew he was lying in those news that Khalil sent him.

\- I'll be very sincere here, okay? I suspect you already know something. I doubt that I haven't searched for my name on the internet.

He adjusted his glasses and shrugged.

\- I may have done some research.

\- So you know I killed my ex?

He swallowed hard, nodding.

\- That's not a lie. I really killed him, but I did it because I saw no other way out.

\- Raquel, don't get me wrong but I don't trust policemen much. The system is dirty and corrupt.

\- Yes. I didn't think that way until I met him and saw everyone involved. Alberto was a super praised lieutenant, everyone adored him. I never imagined that I would be involved with such a rotten scheme.

\- What was he doing?

\- Traffic. He trafficked anything that gave him money, drugs, people ... Besides, he was a violent man, he threatened me and my mother.

She sighed. Sergio felt a lump in his throat, that was much worse than he thought. When he heard about her past, he imagined it was an abusive relationship that ended in the most tragic way.

\- This is big.

\- That's why they're after me. I killed the boss and I know everything they did. It's file burning.

He nodded thoughtfully.

\- Raquel, I see what you did as almost self-defense. No need to be ashamed, I'm with you.

Her eyes filled with water. That was what her mother and Alicia got tired of telling her when she felt guilty again. She knows that at that moment she saw no other way, but it was a life. A life she took.

\- It's difficult. I killed a person.

\- You didn't mean to.

\- I didn't plan it, but he threatened me so much that day, he arrived drunk. He knew I wanted to report it, so he said he was going to send me to a country in Asia to be a prostitute and was going to kill my mother.

She cried, the scenes flashed in her mind.

\- He tried to grab me, kiss me but I fought him. Alberto fell to the ground and stayed there, slept drunk. I couldn't think of anything else, I took the knife he was using and killed it.

Sérgio listened to everything with a deep heart, he couldn't imagine going through such a situation.

\- He had a suitcase with money at home. I took it, found my mother and ran away. I have a friend in the police who gives me information, he who alerted me.

\- You did what you had to do to survive. It's all right.

\- I'm a monster. I couldn't even help the people that he did these things.

\- It is not. You are one of the strongest women I know.

Sergio hugged her while she cried softly. One thing had been disturbing him more and more and now that he knew the whole story it only tightened his chest. Raquel got involved with a thug before and ended up like this, what would she think when she discovered he was a thief? He didn't hurt anyone, but he was still a criminal after all.

They stayed like that for a while, he caressed her arms in a comforting way. I wanted to show that she was not alone and that nothing would change by knowing her secret. Raquel cried a lot, relieved him and the feeling of a weight lifted from her shoulders took her.

\- Sergio?

\- Hmm?

Lisboa raised his head to look into his eyes without moving away from the embrace. She hesitated for a moment.

\- I think I'm in love with you.

Sergio opened his mouth and closed several times without knowing what to say. Of course he realized that something else was going on between them, but he never thought that the seductive and beautiful Lisbon would fall in love with him. Not after she said she didn't want relationships.

\- Raquel…

\- You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.

He smiled. Her hand stroked his beard as she looked at his mouth with desire.

\- Since I met you, you can't get out of my head, Lisbon. I did everything to forget what I feel, but there's no way.

There was no time for her to assimilate what he said, he pulled her by the scruff and kissed her mouth with pleasure. Languages met quickly. The moans started out low.

Raquel straddled his lap, taken by the lust without breaking from his lips. The hands explored the bodies, pressed and scratched. The movements she did made him more excited, the brushing of the sexes made them moan in the other's mouth.

Sergio took off the blouse she was wearing and found her naked. Her breasts show, large and soft. The hard nipples with excitement. They kissed, licked and bit them. Perhaps it would leave it marked later, but the desire was stronger than the worry.

* * *

\- Wow.

They were both panting and sweating on the floor of the small room. Despite being horny the first time was slow and sensual with lots of kisses.

\- Yes.

She turned to him, curling her legs and lying on his chest.

\- Who are you? Where's the shy, nerdy guy I met?

Sergio laughed and when trying to adjust his glasses he realized he was without them. She looked around the room and saw him lying beside the sofa.

\- You have no idea how many times I imagined this.

He said looking at the ceiling. She laughed.

\- I know it's wrong, I had a girlfriend. I liked her very much, but it was you that I thought about all the time.

She smiled, hiding her face on his neck, where she left kisses and bites. Sérgio started to feel excited again, ran his hands over his thigh that was on top of his and went up to his ass. He felt Raquel's wet sex brushing against her leg. She moved her hand down his chest, belly, until he reached the already hard member. Masturbated him while kissing her mouth in a sensual way

Reversing the positions, the man placed himself on top of her, who spread his legs to accommodate him there. The kisses became more intense, she tugs her black hair while he distributes hickeys on her neck and lap. He bit down hard on her nipples, making her sigh and arch her back, asking for more.

She sucked one breast at a time, giving special attention to the nipples, Raquel was already on the verge of yet another orgasm with just the caresses.

\- Come here.

She asked pulling him by the hair and pasted his lips again. They explored each other's mouths, nibbled on his lower lip. The way Sergio looked at her made her hot, she felt like the sexiest woman.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, made her intimacies come into contact. The hard member in wet sex made them both moan. Sérgio made brief movements causing friction at the pleasure point of the woman who squeezed his waist with her legs making him fit in with her. Pushed in completely. They groaned at the feeling of perfect fit.

\- Now I want it fast and strong.

Marquina almost finished everything early with the whispered and sensual voice in her ear. He took one leg of her going deeper and started the slow movements at first.

Each time he entered completely Raquel moaned and squeezed him with the inner walls. The sounds she was making were driving him crazy. He knew that if that moment came it would be the best sex of his life, but he did not expect it.

\- Sérgio

Now he held her two legs open, had a full view of the female body and its sexes. He found himself entering and leaving covered by Raquel's excitement. He was mesmerized by her breasts, bouncing in time with his thrusts.

She teased him by touching herself, saw in his features that she liked. He squeezed her breasts, threw his head back in ecstasy, took a hand to where they joined and massaged her clitoris.

\- I'll come.

He warned by speeding up his movements. Sérgio, who was also on the edge of the precipice, increased the strength and speed of the attacks.

\- Ah ... Raquel.

\- Go on, Sergio. Like this.

He enjoys falling on top of her, who clings to him moaning and gasping. They stay like that for a few minutes until he comes out of it and falls exhausted on the floor.

\- It was so worth the wait.

They both laughed. She kissed him again.

* * *

_ "Khalil?" _

_ "Say, friend". _

_ "Do you have any information on Alberto Vicuña?" _

_ "Just what I got from researching Raquel Murillo." _

_ "Research it thoroughly, everything you can." _

_ "Leave it to me." _

_ "And I want you to throw everything on the net, expose this information anonymously. Send it to the Madrid police too." _

"Are you sure?"


	8. A chance for love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys  
> Hope you like it and thank's for the support

After Raquel revealed her past, everything had changed in a good way. They always had a strong connection and attraction, but now she let him in, allowed herself to be totally her. Sérgio felt free to ask more about what happened, and Lisbon was understanding when he asked for some time alone to think.

Marquina was increasingly apprehensive about telling about the robbery. He was very condescending when he heard everything Raquel went through, he never judged her, but his best friends were marginalized people and wanted by the police before they even entered the Casa da Moeda robbery. Sérgio learned not to judge people for their crimes.

However, Lisbon had a different history. A woman who was mistreated, cheated and subjected to threats of all kinds by a man she believed to be good. This breaks trust in anyone else and he knows that at the moment he is opening up again, giving love another chance. She told you that herself the night after they made love.

Sergio's heart squeezes thinking about the woman's reactions.

The day was cloudy and rainy. Perfect for staying in bed, and that was exactly what the new couple was doing. Sérgio was the first to wake up. Still drowsy, he lay with his eyes closed, thinking about the last few days and about the turn his life took.

When he opened his eyes he found his girlfriend - yes, he had ordered it last night - facedown with his hair spread out on the pillow. Their bare backs denounced that they had fallen asleep before they even dressed.

\- Stop looking at me.

He grunted, turning his face away. Sérgio laughed, approached the female body, stroking the soft brown skin.

\- Good Morning.

\- Um. I'm still sleeping.

He laughs again. One thing she discovered after being together was that Raquel was a moody little bug in the morning, only strong coffee and food made her go back to normal.

\- So you continue to sleep while I make our coffee.

She grunted in agreement. He kissed her on the shoulder and stood up looking for his underwear, which was lying on the foot of the bed, and his shirt.

In the small kitchen, Sergio looked in the fridge and cupboards for food and decided to make it hot. He programmed the coffee maker and took strawberries out of the refrigerator.

\- Um… Coffee.

Raquel said, her voice still hoarse with sleep. When he turns around, he finds the woman in panties and a blouse that barely covers her belly. He swallowed.

\- It'll be ready in a little while. The mixed ones are already on the table.

\- You are perfect.

She gave him a peck and hugged him.

\- Aren't you cold?

Sérgio runs his hand over his bare skin and sees her shiver at the touch.

\- No. I don't feel very cold.

\- Better put on a coat.

\- I am fine. Alicia says that piriguete does not feel cold.

Raquel gives her a mocking smile making the man laugh.

* * *

\- May I ask you a question?

The two are inside the small bathtub in the apartment they rented. He is sitting with Raquel sitting between his legs.

\- Clear.

\- Do your tattoos have any meaning?

She turns around smiling and leans against the opposite end.

\- Yes. They all do.

Sérgio was fortunate to discover that she does not only have the two tattoos he already knew. There was a third in a more intimate place. Near the hip bone, Raquel had a simple design that was just the outline of a flame. It was no big deal, but it expressed all the sensuality of the woman she is.

\- The penalty is obviously about lightness, calmness that was all I needed in my life at the time. And also because I love feather drawings, I don't know why. - shrugged.

He runs his finger over the design on the rib, making it twitch with a twitch.

\- Peonies are traditional Japanese and can mean boldness, take risks. I wanted to do a lot because I ended up taking a very big risk. - she laughs. - They also mean good luck.

Sérgio kneels her down so that the tattoo is above the water line. It went from just above the bikini mark to almost half of the thigh from the side. It was beautiful.

\- And this one. - she points to the tiny flame. - You may already know.

Raquel wrapped her arms around his neck while leaving pecks in his mouth.

\- This is very self explanatory, even more coming from you.

He pulled her onto his lap making her sit on his thighs. Kiss her wet shoulders.

\- You are beautiful.

Go up the kiss path to the neck.

\- You're the nicest nerd I've ever seen.

Sérgio laughs next to her, who strokes her damp hair looking at her boyfriend with a tender smile on her lips.

\- How lucky I was to find you on that beach walking alone.

"And how lucky I am to find a beautiful horsewoman on your horse."

Raquel laughs throwing her head back. They only managed to get out of that bathtub when the water was already cold and Lisbon managed to regain strength in its legs.

* * *

\- Cheers! - toasted

Sérgio decided it was time to introduce Raquel to his friends so he arranged a dinner at Agatha's house with Yashin.

It was no surprise when the two women got along and talked as if they had been friends for years. Yashin was a little more shy but Raquel loved him.

\- So, where did you meet?

\- We were all from the same college. Wow! Good times when we brought our entire gang together.

Nairobi spoke with longing.

\- I used to do arts with the idiot Andrés and Yashin did history.

\- It turned out that my brother introduced us and I met Helsinki doing an elective.

\- Helsinki?

Raquel asked laughing. At the time, Sergio didn't know what to do, laughed a little nervously and said that everyone in the group had a nickname with the name of a city. Lisbon accepted it as funny.

Marquina was pleased to discover that in Asia, where the Philippines was, there was almost no repercussion from what happened in Spain. Maybe that's why Raquel still found out everything, she is a smart woman and has been suspicious of something.

The four of them spent dinner between conversation and laughter, they were all excited. The two friends could see that the Professor had found someone who completed it, the couple looked very much in love. Always exchanging looks, smiles and affection.

Sérgio offered to wash the dishes at the end of the meal while Yashin called Raquel to see his vinyl record collection.

\- Doesn't she know about the theft?

Agatha asked in a low voice after taking the dirty glasses to the sink. Sérgio shakes his head.

\- Will you tell?

\- I will.

\- Why?

\- She told me everything about why she was chased, everything. I promised to tell you what I was worried about, she knows I keep a secret.

\- Professor, you look so good together. This can ruin what they are building.

Sergio sighed and bowed his head. That was his biggest fear, it had all crossed his mind.

\- I don't want to keep secrets from her.

\- She is not like us, she will not accept it so easy.

This was not Sergio's fear, but the fact that Raquel again became involved with a criminal without knowing it. How many triggers could this cause?

\- I know, but I can't do that to Raquel.

Agatha sighed and agreed. She hugged her friend as a sign of comfort.

* * *

\- Do you know what I noticed?

Sérgio came with a tray with two hamburgers, french fries and two glasses of milk shake for the sofa. Today they decided to order a snack at home to eat while watching TV.

\- Today we completed 15 days of dating.

\- Oh really?

Raquel smiled.

\- We must toast it.

They took their glasses of milkshake and toasted, then sucked the liquid. They exchanged a kiss with icy lips and turned on the television, started looking for something to watch until they stopped on the BBC channel.

\- It's been so long that I haven't eaten a hamburger like that.

Raquel said before taking a bite of food.

\- In Palawan you don't have one of these, you can't be perfect at all.

The two continued talking and eating, leaving the newspaper in the background until a headline caught their attention.

_ "Today they complete exactly one and a half years of the greatest theft in history, which took place at the Mint and Timbre in Madrid. No one from the group of assailants was caught and the money could not be traced. Members with city codes remain at large until the current moment " _

The newspaper anchorman said making the two people in that apartment tense.


	9. Déjà vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey!  
> I am so happy with the comments and all the support <3
> 
> Hope you like it

The tension in the room was so dense that it could be cut with a knife. The two continued their meal in silence, each caught in his agitated thoughts. Raquel finishes first and goes to the kitchen to throw away papers and a glass of milk shake, from there she locks herself in the bathroom where she allows herself to cry.

She still doesn't know anything, it's just a great suspicion but it hurt so much. To think that again he had been wrong in exactly the same way. Not the same way, because Sérgio would never be like Alberto. At least that's what Lisbon thought to try to calm down and not freak out.

\- Do you want to tell me something?

Raquel asked when she arrived in the room. He didn't want to sit down, he stood with his arms crossed in front of the man who looked nervous.

\- I think it must be quite a coincidence that you have a group of friends with nicknames for cities as well as the Madrid robbers, which is where you came from. And another, a guy who always told me stories of how simple his life was and now tells me not to worry about money. A man who says he knows how to hide from the police.

With every word she said, Sergio shrank. I didn't want this conversation to happen that way, I didn't want her to find out like that, I wanted to have told everything before I got to that point.

\- Sergio!

She looks scared and sad.

\- Look me in the eye and tell the truth.

He takes a deep breath, adjusts his glasses and sits up straighter. You have to face it head on, there's no use trying to hide it anymore.

\- Yes. Me, my friends, my brother and my father, we did this robbery. But you see, we didn't hurt anyone, we didn't steal that money from anyone. We make our own money.

\- You took hostages. How do you think these people felt? It will be a trauma in everyone's life, Sérgio!

\- We treat them in the best possible way. Sometimes the politically incorrect is necessary.

Raquel laughs with scorn.

\- Raquel, you know the system is corrupt. The rich get richer and the poor… I just didn't go hungry because my father used to carry out small robberies.

Sergio did not like the woman's posture, who just looked at him with disapproval and shook her head in denial.

\- Do you know what it is to know that your father is so mired in doubts that he spends the day planning small robberies? To be able to feed the two children, Raquel. Where is that fair? While there are politicians taking money from the people and putting it in their own pocket.

\- You lied to me, Sérgio. I trusted you! I told you my problems, my traumas. I let myself be vulnerable and even though I knew all my weaknesses, he preferred to hide it from me.

He tried to take a step closer to her, but stopped when he saw her walk away and look at her with a start.

\- I was going to tell you, I promised.

She denied with her head.

\- I've been suspicious of things you say for months, I always ask about and you just talk. Do you think I'm an idiot? I just didn't want to see it, I didn't want to believe it was happening again.

\- Raquel, don't compare me to your ex!

Sergio's voice came out thick and his posture changed. Being compared to such a rotten man made him angry. She backed away again, cringing at the cry, tears formed. At the same moment he regretted having lost control.

\- I see how different it is.

He said in a weak voice and ran to the bedroom, slammed the door and locked it. Rachel fell on the bed crying. All the feeling of that day that he discovered about Alberto was coming back, that anguish of knowing that he fell in love with someone wrong, someone dirty.

\- Raquel, open the door. I'm sorry, you know me. You know I'm not like that. Let's talk.

He fiddled with the doorknob trying to open the door.

\- I thought you wouldn't be able to commit such a crime and yet you did.

\- Please, I'm no monster. I did plan a robbery, but I did my best not to hurt or harm anyone.

Sergio could hear her sobbing and he felt guilty and useless for not being able to help her and still be the reason for it.

\- Right when I thought it would be different.

She spoke in the midst of crying.

\- I just fall in love with a criminal. I am an idiot.

\- Raquel…

\- Go away, Sergio. Or I'm going to call the police.

He tensed and walked away from the door.

\- Is that how it will be? Can you see how unfair it is? And hypocritical?

The door opened violently and Raquel looked at him with hatred in the eyes.

\- Go away.

Said between teeth

\- You told me everything about you, about your life and at no time did I judge you. I stood by you when men were trying to kill you.

She said nothing, just looked at him and tears fell freely.

\- I told you about my childhood, how my father suffered to raise me and my brother and you never stopped to think about the whole context. You're being a hypocrite, Raquel.

Raquel shook her head, the cry becoming stronger. She closed the door again.

Sergio returned to the room feeling defeated. He didn't think the reaction would be so bad. Raquel had always been receptive to him, always saying she could tell anything. Apparently, not everything should be revealed.

* * *

\- Calm down, dear. Speak slowly.

Alicia was very scared to answer her friend's call and listen to her weeping. I had talked to her a few days before and she seemed so happy with Sergio.

Raquel told her friend everything through sobs and deep breaths. He talked about all his suspicions and how he found out.

\- Raquel, I know you must be feeling like it was that time but it isn't.

\- He's a criminal, Alicia, wanted by the police.

\- But he told you everything that motivated him, he is not a bad person, cariño.

\- How can I know?

That whole situation was a big trigger for Lisbon. The feeling of being deceived was back in full force. All her distrust of people had a reason and when she decided to put it all aside, exactly the same thing happens.

\- You've known this man for over a year. He never hurt a fly, he was always the nervous nerd around a hot woman. He always looked at you like he was the best person in the world. We both know what bad men are like.

\- I love you, Alicia. I love so much.

She had never said that, she was waiting for a special moment to take another step in their relationship.

\- I know.

\- I do not know what to do.

Raquel hugged herself with the pillow as if it were her salvation.

\- Give yourself a break, Raquel. Come stay with me and your mom for a while.

She thought about her friend's proposal for a while. It would be good to think for a while away from Sérgio, away from all those feelings that he brought up.

* * *

The next morning came slowly, neither of them was able to sleep. Sérgio spent the night on the small two-seat sofa waiting for Raquel to leave the room at some point to talk, but that didn't happen. She spent the night searching the internet for information about the robbery, how it was done, what happened. The crying came and went and so the sunlight began to appear.

One thing she may notice during her research, no hostages were hurt. Everyone received everything they needed, and everyone said they were treated with dignity. The money had actually been printed during the hours they were there, no one had lost any goods.

Calmer, Lisbon decided that she should go out and talk. He didn't feel right to stay there, but he would explain everything that went through his head and let him know that he needed time away.

\- Sérgio

He called in a hoarse voice. He got up quickly.

\- We can talk?

\- Clear.

Marquina straightened up sitting on the couch and giving her space to sit too.

\- I'm going to Alicia's house.

\- What?!

Raquel took a deep breath holding the urge to cry.

\- I need some time.

\- Are you breaking up with me?

He looked like a kicked dog, she couldn't look at him without feeling the lump in her throat and an immense desire to cry.

\- I just need some time for myself. And I wanted to apologize for the things I said yesterday, I know that you are not like Alberto.

Sergio swallowed and looked down

\- It's just ... this whole situation was so similar.

She gasped and this time she couldn't hold it. He wiped his cheeks when the tears came.

\- I need some time for that feeling to go away.

\- And you can't be with me? I want to help you.

Sergio on an impulse to hold her hand, which this time does not move away.

\- You had so many opportunities to tell me, Sergio. I opened up to you, let you know me whole.

\- I was afraid.

He spoke in a choked voice. Raquel looked at him and saw that he, too, was crying.

\- I was afraid of your reaction.

I couldn't blame him, after yesterday he was right to fear how she would react to the news.

\- Honestly, I thought all of that had been left behind but yesterday it was such a bad feeling. It was like coming back to those days.

Sergio shook his hand in comfort.

\- I know you are not like him, but you are not who I imagined. You hurt me, Sergio.

\- I am exactly who you met in Palawan. - he clasped his hands together. - I'm so sorry for all this.

\- At dawn I researched this robbery. Who were you?

He swallowed, adjusted his glasses nervously. I knew I had to be completely honest now.

\- I was the Professor.

Raquel took a deep breath.

\- The boss? With whom did the police negotiate?

\- Yes. My father and I were left out coordinating everything.

She read how the police described it. A cold, calculating man, who spoke calmly and politely but made no effort to achieve his goal.

\- We only did it because of my brother. We found out he was sick and it was the last straw for us. My father had laid it all out for years, but he never had the courage to put it into practice.

\- I understand your reasons, Sergio, but you have committed a crime.

\- Raquel. - He called her to look into her eyes. - We both know how difficult it is to commit a crime, they are completely different but ... it is what it is. I'm not proud of what I did, either.

Lisbon cried again. It was a huge stalemate inside her heart, she believed his every word but the fear of getting hurt again was suffocating.

\- I'm going to spend time with my mother, I want to organize my feelings. I want to stop having that feeling that was already buried, I want to get back to my balance.

\- Okay.

He said in a weak voice. He had lost Raquel, he lost the only woman who really made him feel love as everyone said.

\- As soon as I feel better I will contact you, I have your number.

Now she was the one who held his big hands. Sergio looked at her surprised to think that she would never want to see him again. She gave a small smile.

\- If that's what you need, fine

He smiled too. The hands were intertwined and it was a comforting contact for everything that was happening.

\- Just let me know when you get there. I need to know you are safe and well.

Raquel agrees. I would suffer far from him after all these days together, especially after knowing how good it is to be with Sérgio. She would miss the comfort of his arms, his kisses, but he had to do what was necessary to be well again.

She was already bad with all the persecution she had been suffering, this news was just the final straw to overflow. Now you need to get up to go back to the one you loved.

  
  
  
  



	10. Miss you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey!  
> Hope you like it

Sérgio rang the bell at his friends' house and waited for someone to open the door.

In the morning Raquel was gone, she woke him up early just to say goodbye, gave a peck and left. Sergio felt lost for not knowing how long they would be away. After all these days with her, knowing the real Raquel, he had become accustomed to that routine.

\- Hi, Professor. What a surprise, he didn't say he was coming.

Helsinki opened the door, giving him room to enter.

\- Helsinki, who is it?

Nairobi appears in the room with a tap on his head and his face covered with a treatment mask.

\- Sorry I came like this without warning, but I wanted to say goodbye before returning home.

\- House? But what about Raquel? Is it safe to go back now?

Sergio sighed. It was evident from his posture that he was tired and sad, the dark circles and low shoulders denounced.

\- She was staying at a friend's house for a while.

Agatha and Yashin looked at each other, the man shook his head and she took a deep breath.

\- Want to talk about what happened?

Sergio nodded in agreement. After Nairobi got ready, the three gathered in the living room, sitting on the sofa and in the armchairs. There, Marquina told everything that happened in the past three days, the reaction of his girlfriend, Raquel's past. He vented about everything.

\- So you still have back.

Yashin says trying to ease his friend's suffering.

\- Yes, Sergio. Give only the space she asked for. Such a trauma does not go away that easy, there will always be triggers and memories.

Nairobi has always been a great feminist, has always supported the girls in the group with wise words and has experienced these same problems in previous relationships.

\- Soon you should see on TV something about her ex. I asked Khalil to expose the whole scheme.

The two members of the group were surprised, Sérgio was the biggest advocate that one should not mix the plan with love and to see it using the skills of a member for personal purposes was unexpected.

\- She loves you, Sergio. It was very clear when you came here.

He took a deep breath and lowered his head. Raquel had never said those words, but she always demonstrated with actions and he felt that love.

\- Okay. No more sad talk, let's have a worthy farewell.

Agatha spoke and Yashin soon understood and went to get the drinks and taste. The three spent the rest of the night talking, laughing and Sergio forgot about his problems for at least a few hours.

* * *

Raquel woke up totally disoriented, she didn't remember where she was or what time it was until she saw someone enter the room.

\- I was coming to call you, it's eight at night.

\- What?

\- Wow. The jetlag took you down, didn't it?

Alicia laughed at her friend's wrinkled face. Lisbon had arrived at her house devastated, in addition to the tiredness of the long hours of travel she also wept with longing for her boyfriend.

\- Your mother made our dinner, comes to eat something and then goes back to sleep.

She agreed getting up from the bed. After using the bathroom, washing her face and feeling a little more willing she went to the living room and found the table set and the smell of delicious food.

\- How I missed that.

Said hugging Dona Mariví, who had just put a plate of rice on the table.

\- Oh my daughter.

He turned to the younger girl and hugged her. Raquel, who was already sensitive to all events, cried in her mother's arms.

\- I don't know if I did it right.

\- You did what you needed to do. You don't have to feel guilty about choosing to be okay.

She sniffed and moved away from her mother's body to look her in the eye.

\- I wanted to go back to him right now.

\- My goodness. It seems that my daughter of almost 30 years returned to be a teenager.

Raquel mumbles and Alicia laughs. Dinner was quiet despite the fact that only Alicia and Mariví talked while Raquel continued to eat with her head down.

* * *

When Sérgio arrived home, it was late afternoon. He hadn't told his father anything to not worry the man any more than he had already worried about the whole situation.

He just threw the suitcase in a corner of the room and sat on the sofa.

\- Sergio?

Julius was startled when he returned from the kitchen and found the man sitting in the living room.

\- Hi, dad.

\- Why are you here? Wasn't he in South America?

\- Was.

Sergio got up and started walking towards the stairs. He was tired, upset and unwilling to hear his father's sermon.

\- What happened? Is Lisbon okay?

\- Yes, she is safe with her mother.

Júlio already knows how his youngest son looks, one hour he would look for him to talk but for now he would just want to be alone.

Upon arriving in his room, he takes off his clothes and throws himself on the bed in his underwear. The flight hours left him exhausted and in pain. Every time he dozed, he dreamed of Raquel, that only made him miss him more. He opened the conversation with her again.

"I arrived safely, don't worry. Kisses, R."

It was the last message that Raquel had sent. The desire to send something was great.

"Miss you"

He wrote and pondered whether or not to send with his finger hovering on the send button. He took a deep breath and sent it. Without hope that he would have an answer, he left his cell phone on the bedside table and went to take a shower.

* * *

\- Raquel, don't you think you've had too much to drink?

Raquel and Alicia were by the pool enjoying the evening. The idea of adding a drink was from Lisbon, which just wanted something that would make her forget the pain she was feeling.

At all times she felt that she had made a mistake by leaving Sergio, she didn't think she could think of anything other than how she hurt the man she loves. The drink would help you think of absolutely nothing. With a bottle of whiskey, the two sat on the sun loungers watching the sunset.

\- No. I think I drank too little.

He replied with a voice that had already dragged.

\- Let's have a few glasses of water before drinking more whiskey.

Alicia got up taking the bottle with her to the kitchen. Raquel complained but did not go after her friend, while looking at the orange sky she felt the cell phone vibrate near her leg. The view was blurry and only after struggling to focus was he able to read and simple message from Sérgio.

"Miss you"

The woman collapsed. She cried, grabbing her legs close to her chest. That was how Alicia found her, looked at the cell phone lying next to the chair and saw the reason for the crying.

\- Take your water and try to calm down.

\- I just want to be with him.

Alicia took a deep breath. She had to be patient with her friend because she was fragile, but the situation was already irritating her.

\- Raquel.

He called in a firm voice. The woman raised her wet red face and looked at her.

\- Who wanted to come here? You! Nobody forced you. You felt you needed some time and wanted to come.

\- I know, but it hurts.

I said whimpering.

\- You are drunk when you should be taking this time to think about yourself.

\- I do everything wrong.

\- Stop the drama. Let's go in and watch a movie, in a little while you'll roll over.

Staggering the woman went to the living room and sat on the spacious sofa. He took the remote and turned on the TV, which was in a newspaper. It was amazing how just at that time the story was about Alberto, but Raquel couldn't understand. The reporter said that anonymous complaints were made while showing police and other men being arrested.

She even came to recognize two of them. Suárez and Antoñanzas. The drink was clouding her understanding and made her think it was something about the ex's murder.

The woman began to have flashes of memories. The blood, the knife in his dirty hand, the despair of trying to escape, the slaps, the threats. Alicia found her friend in shock as she sucked in a breath until she collapsed in her arms.

* * *

Sérgio was warned by Khalil that the denunciations had already been made, so he watched the news all day. As he imagined, the message he sent to his girlfriend was viewed but not answered. I understood that I should be taking the time to think about everything.

He followed everything that came out about the great scheme that had been discovered. On some websites, the fact that Alberto was murdered was mentioned and they put in doubt the veracity of the news of the time.

He was surprised when he received a call from an unknown number. He found it strange but answered it.

\- Hello?

\- Sergio?

\- It's me.

\- Hi, it's Alicia.

\- Alicia? What happened?

His heart started to race.

\- Stay calm, everything is fine but Raquel is in the hospital. She had a crisis yesterday and passed out.

\- Crisis?

\- She's in bad shape, she is always crying for you. Yesterday she started drinking and exaggerated, ended up seeing a news story in the newspaper and passed out.

\- How is she now?

He was nervous walking around.

\- Well. They couldn't give a tranquilizer because she drank a lot, but the serum and glucose helped.

\- Can I talk to her?

He asked in a weak voice. Knowing that it wasn't just him who was being miserable during those days left him with a sinking heart.

\- That's why I called you. She insists on talking to you, but she is still a little groggy.

He heard a conversation in the background and then her voice.

\- Sergio?

\- Hi.

\- I’m so sorry.

She said, his voice thick in the midst of crying.

\- Hey. Calm down, you can't stress again.

\- But I miss you so much. I am so stupid to think that I would feel better away from you.

\- It's all right. See you soon, right?

She agreed. Sergio could hear it sniffle. They talked a little more and Raquel soon had to rest again. The call soothed his heart, but it seemed that the longing had only increased.

* * *

\- Do you think it's safe to go home?

Dona Mariví asked. The three were having lunch on Alicia's porch. Raquel had been discharged the same day she spoke to Sérgio and today I had been home for a week.

All these days she spent talking to him, the two exchanged messages all day talking about how the day was going, what they were doing. Many silly things but that made them feel closer to each other.

That week was intense for the Madrid police. Raquel can talk to Angel who said that the main traffickers of the trafficking scheme were in jail awaiting trial and in several countries in the Middle East and Europe were freeing men, women and children from prostitution and slave labor.

Angel believed that there were still many involved, but at the moment everyone was too scared to worry about Lisbon.

\- I don't know, mom. Angel implied that it was.

\- I miss my home, my plants, my animals.

\- Are they your animals now? He fought so hard with me.

They laughed.

\- They are my babies. - he joked. - But what do you think? I want to go back, daughter.

\- I think we can go back, yes.

She said after thinking a few minutes. Her mother was right, they were long gone. And above all, I needed to feel Sergio's embrace, the body, the kiss and she was anxious to say the three magic words.


	11. Perfect fit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry for the delay.
> 
> Tomorrow has update again ;)

Julius worriedly watched the youngest son walk nervously around the room. Sergio clenched his hands in fists as he paced the room.

Since the previous day, Raquel had not responded to her messages or calls, she had not even seen it. They had been in touch since the day she was sick, always letting him know she was fine, how her day was going. One way to stay together. They had never gone so long without speaking and at the moment all sorts of tragedies were going through Sergio's mind.

\- Son, calm down. The internet may have gone down or there was no light, don't think about bad things.

\- Like it was easy.

Julius sighed, got up and went to the kitchen to make tea. Perhaps a chamomile would help Sergio. While the youngest sat on the kitchen counter with his legs dangling denouncing the anxiety he felt.

His cell phone vibrated announcing a message.

"Come to our place. Kisses, R."

\- I can't believe she did that.

Sérgio murmured, getting up, heading towards the back exit.

\- Sergio! Goes to where?

\- On the beach. Anything calls me.

He already answered outside the house. He was walking so fast on the sand that he could feel his muscles burning with effort. Raquel was here and I hadn't told her anything, he missed her so much.

Almost reaching the spot he can see Dunker from afar. It had been a long time since I had seen the animal. Closer, he petted the horse and saw Raquel's clothes on the sand. Looking at the sea he saw her, she had her back to him looking at the horizon.

Quickly Sergio took off his shirt and shoes and ran to the sea, hugged her and took a deep breath in her neck, smelling it mixed with the smell of the sea air. Raquel was startled, but she soon knew who she was, so she relaxed and smiled.

\- It almost killed me with worry.

He grunted, his voice was muffled because his face was hidden in his girlfriend's neck.

\- I wanted to surprise you.

The laughing voice filled Sergio's chest with joy.

It had been a week since Raquel and Mariví had decided to return to Palawan, but the youngest thought it would be a good idea to surprise her boyfriend. She did not count that the cell phone would run out of battery in the middle of the trip, but in the end everything worked out.

\- Why didn't you answer my messages?

\- My cell phone unloaded at the airport. Sorry to leave you like this.

She turned, wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked his black beard. I couldn't take the smile off my face because I was close to my lover again. Sérgio closed his eyes with the caress and was surprised by Lisbon's lips.

It was a longer peck that was followed by several kisses all over the man's face, who laughed. With one hand on her cheek and the other on the back of the neck, he pulled her into a real kiss. The tongues met with longing, Raquel ran her hand through her boyfriend's black hair and returned the kiss in the same intensity. The bodies got even closer, almost to the point of merging, they kissed with the whole body.

\- Is it safe to be here?

Sergio asked breathlessly after they separated, kept his foreheads glued and his eyes closed. Still not believing that they were finally together.

\- Yes. - He smiled happily. - Angel has been warning me for a few days that I am safe.

\- Days?

\- I said I wanted it to be a surprise.

He grunted and squeezed her in a hug. He lifted her off the floor, Raquel screamed with laughter, and threw her into the water. The two played in the calm sea between laughter and long kiss breaks.

* * *

\- We need to talk.

Raquel was lying face down on the bed with Sergio by the side, both naked and relaxing after killing all the desire they felt.

\- We actually had to do that before we stopped here.

She laughed.

\- Okay. I think we need to get some things right.

Sergio agreed. The two lay on their side facing each other. The smile did not leave their lips at any time, although they were about to have a serious conversation they already knew that everything was fine between them.

\- I need to say a few things, but you can't interrupt me, agreed?

\- It's ok.

He rolled his eyes.

\- I think I owe you an apology first. You were so nice to me, you heard me, you didn't judge me and I did the opposite total. I know the world is not black and white, nobody is entirely good or bad. I thought a lot and you and your family had their reasons, just as I had mine.

Raquel took a deep breath. Now came the hardest part.

\- Sergio, I realized that I had made the wrong choice when I got on that plane, I shouldn't have left. I was so sad, I didn't even want to get out of bed ... Before all this happened I had something to tell you, but in the midst of all this confusion I didn't have the opportunity.

She swallowed, closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them he found Sergio looking at her in a more affectionate way and that was just the confirmation that she was right about her feelings.

\- I love you.

Sergio looked at her with wide eyes without reaction. He always felt that Raquel loved him through gestures, affection, but he didn’t expect her to speak those words so early because of her relationship history.

Finally he came out of the trance and smiled. He pulled her close to his body and held her close, kissed the whole of her head while he smiled like a fool.

\- I love you too, Raquel. Much.

He gave her a long peck holding her by the cheeks.

\- No need to apologize, my love. I understand that it was a trauma that passed I'm sorry I made you live it again.

\- You are perfect, you know?

Lisbon straddled his waist and bent down to kiss him. It was just a brush of lips, provoking him. He pecked without deepening contact. Sergio raised his head trying to follow his girlfriend's mouth, which made her laugh and tries even harder.

The kisses went down the man's neck, gave sucks, licks and bites that would be marked later. He went further down the chest, belly until he found the already totally hard member. Sergio saw her lick her lips looking at her sex, he groaned at that scene. Raquel is an extremely sensual woman and it is not just to provoke others, within four walls she lives up to all her fame. He groaned loudly when he felt the hot, wet mouth on his cock swallowing him whole.

She took his hand and placed it on her head, a silent request for him to set the pace. And so he did, Marquina took the blond hair and went down and up the girlfriend's mouth accelerating the movement. Lisbon moaned together showing that he was enjoying it as much as he was.

When Raquel realized that he was close, she let go of his hands and left the member, which was more swollen and red than before. She quickly climbed up his body and fitted it into his entrance, which was already extremely wet from previous orgasms and the oral he just did.

\- You have no idea how I missed it.

Raquel said while riding on her boyfriend. One thing she loved, and Sergio was still learning, was conversations during sex.

\- I even looked on the internet for a vibrator that looked like your dick, but it's impossible.

She groaned when he held her hips and thrust.

\- You are dirty.

Sérgio sat down and attacked Raquel's mouth, the kiss was sloppy with all the lust they felt. He ran his hands over her back as he kissed her neck, the beard causing more friction on the skin making her throw her head back to make room for him.

\- Talk more.

She asks moaning.

\- Ah ...

He tries, but doesn't know what to say. This is new to him at the time of sex, he still finds it strange. Lisbon for the movements and look at him.

\- I don't know how to do that.

Sérgio says ashamed, hides his face in her lap. Raquel laughs.

\- Let's take it easy.

She does the movements again more slowly this time.

\- Tell me what you want to do with me.

Marquina took a deep breath and looked at the woman on top of him, Raquel pushed him back to lie down and rested her hands on her chest while moving her hips. He moaned feeling it inside him.

\- I want to feel you tremble under me, I want to make you scream my name.

Raquel moaned and felt closer and closer to the summit. Surprising her, Sergio turns them both over and reverses their positions. He places one leg on her shoulder and groans hoarsely with the depth of contact.

\- Damn it. You are too tight.

\- You are the one who is very big.

She moans, throwing her head back with her eyes closed, holding on to the headboard to help her move.

\- I'm going to eat you so hard that you won't be able to walk without remembering the two of us here now.

Raquel was not recognizing him. That awoke a new side in the man, who was always shy. She couldn't take it anymore, the pleasure in that position was very intense so she dropped a hand to touch herself.

\- That, if you play for me. The way you did while you were away.

He mumbled in her ear that screamed his name coming to orgasm. The spasms over her body seemed to last forever.

\- Sergio.

He groaned and he continued his movements.

\- Come faster. he gasped. - I think I will ... Ah ... again.

Sérgio could not contain himself anymore and enjoyed taking her along. The two hugged each other, listening to their breathing calm and then let go.

\- It's good that your mother left, I don't know what face she would look at after she heard her moans.

Raquel laughs. She had never brought anyone to her home, much less had sex with anyone in her room. Sergio was the only one.

\- You're getting better at this, we have to practice more.

* * *

\- Hi, little brother!

Andrés greets when answering the video call.

\- Hi. How are things in Switzerland?

The two brothers had spoken to each other since the oldest had started treatment. So far everything was going well and the relationship with Tatiana was also surprisingly good.

\- First let's talk about you. - He smirked. - The number of marks on your neck was a good night.

Sergio went red. Adjusting the glasses completely dull he regretted making the call without a shirt. It was morning in Palawan and the sun was strong.

\- Are you over your beloved Lisbon? Was fast.

He joked.

\- He didn't get over it.

Raquel said sitting on her boyfriend's lap. Andrés' face was hilarious, Sérgio laughed kissing her cheek. The three talked about all the news, the couple was excited about the new stage that was entering.

\- Well, let's get down to business.

From the face of his older brother Sérgio knew that something was not right. Raquel had gone to the kitchen to make a snack for them and give the brothers privacy.

\- I was going to call you, but I wasn't having the courage. - took a deep breath. - Treatment is going relatively well, but doctors believe the last step is surgery.

\- Surgery?

\- They say my case is more delicate and would need a bone marrow transplant.

Sergio ran a hand through his hair and lowered his head. Everyone was so excited about the progress of the treatment.

\- Dr. Sullivan believes that you are the most likely to be compatible because we are brothers of father and mother.

\- When does it need to be done?

\- Maybe next month. Would you do that for me?

Andrés asked uncertainly. It was very big, Sergio would have to undergo a risky procedure just to help him.

\- What a question, Andrés. Of course I'll do it, it's your life, you're my brother.

The elder breathed a sigh of relief.

\- Thank you brother. Really.

Sergio had never seen him so moved, Andrés was holding back his tears.

\- I'll talk better with the doctor now that you've accepted. When I have all the information I will let you know.

\- Okay.

\- And next month will you come here then?

\- Yes of course. Keep me informed and talk to the father, he will be scared.

\- I know

When Lisbon returned with a tray of various snacks, she found her notebook turned off and her boyfriend with his head in his hands, an obvious sign of concern.

\- Love, is everything okay?

She touched his shoulder to call him. Sergio had tears in his eyes, she didn't know what was happening but she hugged him and let him cry.

\- My brother's life is depending on me, Raquel. I'm going to have to go and have surgery.

Sérgio said through sadness, he was not sure of anything and the fear of not being compatible was enormous. He couldn't imagine his life without his brother, who, despite all his defects, always supported him in the worst moments.


	12. Better together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Hope you like it

The days that followed were tense for Sérgio. The concern with his brother, with the surgery he would have to undergo and, mainly, if he would be compatible to do the transplant were making him sad. Raquel had given all her support to her boyfriend, she was also frightened by the fact that he had to undergo such a procedure, but tried to cheer him up when he could.

It was vacation time and tourism was growing more and more on the island. Lisbon owns a bar and two nightclubs in the city, that's how she invested the money she stole from her ex. After all, that money wouldn't last forever. So the woman was getting very busy going to each establishment trying to keep everything as organized as possible.

Her only moments of rest Raquel spent with her boyfriend.

Julio was heartbroken when Andrés broke the news. The fear of losing not one, but both children to the same illness that led to his wife has never been greater. He was organizing everything for the period they would have to spend in Switzerland.

\- Let's Dance?

Raquel asked Sérgio and Alícia, the three decided to have fun in a bar that night. She had always tried to think of something cool to do and not make Sergio sad at home.

\- Go ahead, I'll order something to eat.

Sérgio said, then she got up, kissed him and went with her friend to the dance floor. He asked the waiter for snacks and watched his girlfriend laugh and dance from a distance. He was never an outgoing and fun person, but he loved to see Raquel's way. She is such a free woman, she doesn't care what they say, it just makes her more beautiful in his eyes.

\- Sergio?

Marquina turned to the caller and her stomach turned. Olivia.

\- Olivia?

\- How long, no?

She smiled, but Sergio remained serious. Things had ended badly between them, since he left the house to find Raquel that night, the two did not see each other or spoke. Olivia just disappeared.

At the moment, with everything that was happening, what he least wanted was to have a dirty laundry with his ex.

\- Yes, long time.

Sergio bowed his head, pricking a piece of chicken with his fork and then soaking it with sauce.

\- Can we talk? Since we meet here at random. Are you alone?

\- Not really. I am with my girlfriend.

He pointed to the other side of the bar where Alicia and Raquel were laughing talking about something.

\- So I wasn't wrong.

He said referring to his jealousy of Raquel. Olivia was already showing with the body language that she was going to discuss, her hands were on her hips and her face was closed.

\- Olivia, I will say this only once and, honestly, I don't want to talk but I think we have to clarify things. I never betrayed you, I always respected you as Raquel never hit me or 

disrespected you. The way you ended things hurt me a lot but now it doesn't make any difference. It's okay and I hope you are happy.

Olivia swallowed and shook her head in agreement.

  
\- Okay. I'm sorry for what happened, today I see that I was really hasty. But my instinct was right, wasn't it? You always liked her.

\- Raquel has always been my friend since I came to live here. I will not discuss anything else about this, not least because I owe no satisfactions.

Olivia snorted irritably.

\- I hope you are also happy, Sérgio.

\- I wish the same.

Sergio just gave a restrained smile and shook his head, then she went to the other end of the bar and sat at a table with other people. He let out a breath releasing tension from his body, meeting ex-girlfriends was always uncomfortable for him.

Soon the two women returned, Raquel sat next to him. She was panting and sweaty from dancing, and also because the side of the floor was the warmest in the room.

\- You ordered my favorite chicken! I knew I had chosen the right boyfriend.

  
  
She spoke excitedly, kissing him.

\- You guys are so cute they make me want to throw up.

Alicia grunted making the couple laugh. The night continued lively, the drinks left Sérgio more and more loose and uninhibited, Raquel loved it when her boyfriend was like that.

\- Now that you're more excited do you want to dance with me?

\- Oh no, love. Go with Alicia again.

\- She's already found a company.

Raquel nodded to where her friend was with a black woman with a well-armed Black Power.

\- Come on, Sergio. Stop fooling around.

She asked by pulling him by the hand to the track, which was full. She put her arms around his neck leaving their bodies close together and they enjoyed the music. Raquel insisted on moving her body in a sensual way, always touching her boyfriend's.

She turned her back to him and swayed, rubbing her ass on the member that was beginning to show signs of excitement.

\- Stop provoking.

Sergio asked. He held her hips and whispered in her ear.

\- I know you like.

She bit her lip, looking at him sensuously.

\- I like it, but I don't know if I can wait to take a taxi to get home and be able to do what I want with you.

Raquel laughed and then kissed him. He pulled her around the waist while deepening the kiss, tongues intertwining, she pulled her boyfriend's black hair. I was about to wrap a leg around Sergio's waist when he pulled away.

\- I think we better go.

\- No. Come here.

She walked among the people holding his hand until they reached the bathrooms. Lisboa entered the women's division and confirmed that it was empty, so she quickly pulled Sérgio inside and locked the door.

\- Soon there will be people beating.

\- There's another bathroom upstairs and it'll be quick.

She smiled at him in a way that made him catch his breath. She grabbed him again, kissed each other hungry. Sérgio lifted her up, sitting on the sink counter, the movement made the dress she wore go up leaving most of her thighs exposed.

He quickly took off the black panties she wore and touched them, realizing that she was already very excited. He stimulated her by making circular movements on the clitoris, Raquel moaned, squeezing the man's shoulders until he penetrated her with two fingers. The pace was slow but deep, making contact with the most sensitive spot inside.

\- Sérgio, we don't have much time.

He hurriedly opened his pants and penetrated them. From then on it was a frenzy of moans, sweat and kisses.

* * *

Shortly after leaving the bathroom the couple decided to end the night and return to Sergio's house. He was more upset by the drink than Raquel, and she was amused by her completely flustered boyfriend.

\- Olivia came to see me.

He grunted. Both were already lying in bed almost asleep.

\- I know.

\- You know?

He looked at her in surprise.

-I'm not blind, Sergio.

She laughed.

\- She wanted confusion, but ended up just apologizing.

\- Are you okay?

\- Why wouldn't you be?

He shrugged.

\- Ah ... it's your ex, you broke up because of me.

\- It wasn't because of you, it was because of jealousy. - he snorted - I hate jealousy, it's so boring. It makes everything uncomfortable and… not free.

Raquel laughed his way. Sérgio was much more open to conversation when he drank.

\- I know what you mean. Since Alberto, I can't stand that they try to deprive me in any way.

He smiled and hugged her, hid his face in her neck where he started to kiss.

\- I love the way you are free, it makes you so sexy.

\- Oh yes?

She laughed, cringing at the tickle that his beard made on his neck. He replied nodding his head.

\- I love the way we trust each other and don't worry about silly things like jealousy.

The two smiled looking at each other and soon involved a passionate kiss.

* * *

_ 2 weeks for the procedure _

\- You don't have to do that.

Sérgio said he was tired of arguing, they had been on the subject for an hour and neither of them seemed to want to give in.

\- It didn't even have to be discussed. I'll go with you and period.

\- Your mother needs you here and your business cannot be left unattended.

\- My mom has her friends and Alicia can stay in my place for a while.

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

\- What are you not telling me, love? Why don't you want me there?

\- I'm just scared.

He shrugged.

\- I have allergies to some medicines, you know I was hospitalized a long time as a child.

Raquel nodded.

\- I believe there is a chance that I will have some reaction to anesthesia. When I arrive I will do some exams.

\- But this can be serious, Sergio.

\- I know, but what can I do? My brother depends on me, I need to try.

She looked at him worriedly, didn't expect it. Every surgery has risks, but in this case it is worse. The family history is not good and the pressure that Sérgio is putting on himself is not healthy.

\- I'm going with you, don't worry about anything but your brother and his recovery.

Seeing that he would not win the fight, he relented. Raquel hugged him and kissed his head. One thing she has learned from experience is that they are much better when they are together.

**Author's Note:**

> So? Comments and kudos are welcome.
> 
> Thanks <3


End file.
